Good morning and a blessed Thursday morning to you. 

I have a funny story that I want to share with you. A couple of weeks ago, as we were rehearsing the combined Children's Choir and Adult Choir anthem, a little girl sitting next to me said to me, “You have something in your hair.” I was wondering what she was seeing. Again, she said, “I don’t know what it is, but you have something in your hair. It’s shiny.” Then it dawned on me that she was talking about the tinsel that has begun to sprout out of my head. It was my silver hair that she was seeing.  It was very humorous reminder of the fact that I am not as young as I used to be. And I think many of you have also had that realization in your own lives at one time or another.

This reminded me of one of my favorite verses in Scripture.

Proverbs 16:31 

Gray hair is a crown of glory;

    it is gained in a righteous life.

I like to think that as we age living a righteous life, the gray hair or the tinsel that we sprout is really that crown of glory. But when one considers a righteous life, and gaining this gray hair in a righteous life, what is a righteous life?

Paul writes in Romans 3:10-12

“There is no one who is righteous, not even one;

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    there is no one who has understanding;

        there is no one who seeks God.

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All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;

    there is no one who shows kindness;

        there is not even one.” 

“There is no one who is righteous, not even one.” Then how can this gray hair be a crown of glory gained in a righteous life? As Christians, we know that none of us is righteous. None of our deeds or works of righteousness we do to glorify ourselves, or to make ourselves worthy does anything for us. We are not righteous in and through ourselves or our works. 

After Paul correctly states that no one is righteous when held to the perfect standard in God’s holy law, he continues…

21 But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed and is attested by the Law and the Prophets, 22 the righteousness of God through the faith of Jesus Christ for all who believe.  For there is no distinction, 23 since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; 24 they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed; 26 it was to demonstrate at the present time his own righteousness, so that he is righteous and he justifies the one who has the faith of Jesus.

We are not righteous. No one is righteous. All have fallen short of the glory of God. But Christ himself has given to us his own righteousness. He has given to us the life that he gained… the life of righteousness he gained through his perfect fulfillment of the law. And he gave that for you and me, so that we would be counted righteous before the Lord. 

The gray hair… the crown of glory that we gain throughout our lives as we age, is not a great head of our own glory of our own righteousness. But as we age, and as we grow closer to the Lord and mature in faith, it is so clear that all glory is God's. All righteousness comes from him and him alone. We are recipients of God's grace, mercy, and love.

When you look in the mirror, even if you aren't sprouting tinsel yet, remind yourself that your life is lived to the glory of God… for his namesake for his righteousness. Out of his grace, and love, and mercy for us, we reap the benefits of salvation… the benefit of eternal life, and the benefit of being in full communion with God the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit for all eternity!

Let's pray. Lord Jesus, we thank you so much for the righteousness that you have gained for us, that you have given to us so freely. We thank you so much that you have called us to yourself, and washed us clean of our sin through the waters of baptism. We ask that as we ponder our own aging, and ponder the gray hairs that begin to come out of our heads, and the wrinkles that start to appear… that that we would give all glory and thanks to you, that you have deemed it right and good for us to walk this side of heaven continually sharing in your goodness and love; pointing people to your glory and your Holy name. Empower us to continue to do this as long as you allow breath to be in our lungs, and our hearts to beat.

Let us always have our hearts beat for you, Lord.  We lift this to you in the awesome name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Enjoy the rest of your week. I look forward to worshiping with you on Sunday. 

God Bless!

Pastor Malinak