We all must be keenly aware of our strengths and our weaknesses. I don't believe God would ask anyone to do something they can't do unless He is going to provide the means to do it. But, I believe that God expects us to use the gifts and talents He has given us so as to be a blessing to others.

I find it interesting how what we are good at when we are younger many times is not something we are adept at when we grow older. Many things that demand physical strength and mental agility are reserved for the younger generation. For the most part, the older we get the more what we have to offer is wisdom and insight vs. physical strength and might.

I get a chuckle watching very old golfers tee up their golf balls to participate in a round of the Masters or other tournament they qualify for due to previous victories. Although they can still post a respectable score, there is no way they can play well enough to contend, let alone win. But, even though they may not be able to win, they can still provide great wisdom to those young enough and strong enough to win.

The hardest thing for an athlete to come to grips with is the diminishing of his physical strengths or skills. One of the saddest things in sports is to see someone who should have retired long ago still trying to hang in there and taste the glory of victory one more time. Most of the time all they taste is the bitterness of failure and the booing of fans.

There comes a time in everyone's life when the change is made from doing in all yourself to helping others learn how to do it better. I would take an older teacher who has learned through experience a subject than a brand new one who only knows what the book says. Contrary to what younger people think; the book is not always right and what it says to do is not always best.

We have a huge Wal Mart in town that was constructed only ten years ago. This store is currently undergoing a massive remodeling. I know many of the department managers, checkers and other employees for I have had contact with them for many years. Without exception they all have been in a very sour mood the past few weeks as the remodeling continues and nears its completion.

I was talking with the Pharmacy manager the other day who is the nicest person in the store and who I have talked with countless times regarding medicines over the years. She was mad as a hornet, sarcastic as Don Rickles and ready to quit the company she has worked for since 1994. All this was brought about because of arrogant €œyoungsters€ coming in and demanding everyone change the store around to their way with no discussion or respect for the needs of employees or customers.

So many times, young people graduate from a university, earn a MBA and then think they have all the answers to every problem in the world. Many times major corporations hire these young people for they are on fire and full of energy. What happens, unfortunately, is that many times they convince the company to make huge changes in their operation or structure without getting any feedback from people who have been faithfully serving the company for 30 or more years.

When someone barges into a situation and proclaims to all that they have all the answers or demands that everyone change to accommodate them, the results are usually not pretty. Sure, they may see immediate results, but at what cost? Many times they succeed in so alienating the staff that they either quit or do their jobs with only half their heart.

I have seen countless young ministers over the years descend on a church full of ideas and programs that will totally change the church into the greatest thing since sliced bread. These people are full of enthusiasm and brimming with self-confidence. They have been taught all the answers according to the book and they are ready to apply them all at once with no discussion. Again, the results are many times less than pretty.

Young people need to slow down and seek out the advice and wisdom of those who have lived awhile in this life and have been down the road they are on now. Young people need to respect the living knowledge found in their elders as much as the book knowledge found in their manuals and textbooks. Just because the book may say things are as simple as A, B and C doesn't mean they really are that simple every time in every place.

Older people need to take younger people under their wings and slow them down long enough to get a good dose of wisdom to go with their zeal. Older people who have graduated from the school of hard knocks have a maturity about them which allows them to be, in a practical sense, masters in their field. Instead of sitting around complaining about how hard it is to grow old, those with a few years of experience under their belt should become mentors and teachers to those just starting out.

If those of us who have passed our prime look at ourselves as the wise sage instead of the young warrior, then I think we will be on track to really provide help for those who need it the most. If those of you who are just starting out on this journey called life would set your ego aside long enough to sit with an old sage, you might be really surprised at how much you can learn. Herein is the great beauty of elders and youngsters and how they can help each other and both stay young at heart.