Embracing Grey Hair

The sign of experience and wisdom

I recently heard Australian TV presenter, Sonia Krueger, talk about the prospect of getting grey hair, and she found it "scary". She is in her late 50's, and is incredible shape, but was quoted as saying that people who wear grey were "far braver" than her. She admitted to preferring getting a tooth extraction than seeing her natural hair colour.

It's understandable to not want grey hair; grey is a sign of age and it's less attractive in our modern world.

"The glory of young men is their strength, grey hair the splendour of the old" – Proverbs 20:29 (NIV).

This thought process is challenged in the film, The Intern, which epitomises Proverbs 20: 29 in the Bible by showing the value of various generations. Showing that throughout this life, there is a tendency to look upon certain ages as having greater value than others.

While this film and the verse communicate that each chapter in this life is new and the challenge is for each of us to take advantage of each opportunity that comes along. Some chapters may prove to be better than others, but ultimately each chapter adds to the overall richness of this life and challenge us to live each chapter as it is opened.

Yet, in the Bible, there is a sense in which grey hair is prized. The Old Testament wisdom book of Proverbs says that grey hair is a sign of experience, of wisdom, of dealing well with life.

And maybe embracing this wisdom could help people overcome the fear of the grey?

Embracing one by cherishing what it brings and another to seek out the wisdom that comes in the later seasons of life.