Young People Aren’t Always Right
“Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord.” (Leviticus 19:32, NIV)
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Young people should respect and listen to older people. And despite the progressive conceit that underlies much of today’s social and political discourse, new isn’t always better and young people aren’t always right.
One of the many commands incorporated into the Law of Moses was an exhortation to respect the aged:
“Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord.” (Leviticus 19:32, NIV)
No, I’m not suggesting the entire Mosaic Law is binding on us today. But there’s a reason why this principle was part of the foundation of one of history’s most famous civilizations.
And there’s a reason this principle is reaffirmed in other parts of the Bible as well:
- Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. (Exodus 20:12, NIV)
- Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” — which is the first commandment with a promise — “so that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.” (Ephesians 6:1–3, NIV)
- In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. (I Peter 5:5a, NIV)
- Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity. (I Timothy 5:1–2, NIV)
You don’t believe in the Bible? Okay. I understand not everyone reading this shares my faith and I’m not trying to shove any particular religion down your throat. Nevertheless…
We can learn a lot from history. And it’s a fact that respect for elders is a principle throughout Judaism and Christianity — the two religions most responsible for culturally shaping western civilization.
