Proverbs Chapter 16
(Pro 16:31) The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness. Men and women both spend multibillions of dollars a year to dye their hair. The vast major of that I would think would come back to the female side of the story. Young and old Americans are dyeing the color of their hair. Many are trying to avoid the dreaded GREY! I am now starting to understand why, as I look at the grey in my beard. Although I would never think about dyeing it, it does remind me that the days of my youth have slipped on by.
The Bible has a different view of the subject. God said it could be a glory. (Pro 20:29) The glory of young men is their strength: and the beauty of old men is the gray head. It does come with a prerequisite though; it must be developed in righteousness. There are those that have devolved their grey in the roughness of life, by living with drugs, ungodly sex, stress, and abuse. I can’t write this without thinking of Sister Jean Williams, with that beautiful silver hair. Sister Jean was one of the most beautiful women to grace this county. She lived a life full of grace, and faith of her savior. In contrast I have seen the ladies that lived a rough life, and the grey didn’t seem to have that same beauty.
As far as the men, that grey is a sign of wisdom that will bring a beauty like no other. My grandfather was one of those heroes of mine when I was a child. He was half Cherokee Indian and half Irish. He had the old weathered face and the silver hair and dark skin. He had worked hard his whole life and it showed. As a kid I would look at the weathered hair, wrinkles and dark tan in the winter, and think to myself, “ I want to look like that someday” Men are to work hard, it is a badge of honor. I hope my grandkids can look at me some day and think “man I want to be like him”. I will gladly take the gray and the wisdom that comes with it, in exchange for the strength of my youth.