Many of us fear getting old. We live in an anti-aging culture where the older you get, the less relevant you are. It is not unusual to see older people shoved to the back to make way for the young. As a result, we—especially women, are desperate to slow down nature, and we spend lots of money on products and surgeries in a vain effort to be forever young.
But while culture abhors old age, Scripture adorns it. While culture tells us to fear old age, Scripture tells us to desire it (Job 12:12). And while the world treats aging as undesirable, God treats it as a crown of glory (Proverbs 16:31).
Sharon Betters and Susan Hunts, two women past their seventies, understand the need to see aging from a biblical perspective. Together they wrote Aging with Grace: Flourishing in an Anti-Aging Culture to equip women with a biblical view of aging. They want women to understand there is glory, beauty, and fruitfulness in getting old.
Sharon writes, “Our anti-aging culture often pushes aside older people to make way for a new generation. This is not God’s way. Throughout Scripture, God not only explains the idea of mentoring, but he shows us the power of evergreen, older, wiser people investing in the lives of the next generation.”
Even in old age, women can flourish and bear fruits (John 15:5-6). And in this book, Susan and Sharon provide us with a biblical road map to aging with grace. Susan writes, “This book is not a list of ideas to become a gracious older woman. It’s about the lifelong adventure of God giving his children the desire and ability to do all things-even aging with grace—through him who strengthens us (Phil.4:13).”
The book has eight chapters that alternate between the authors. The odd chapters provide biblical principles on aging based on Psalm 92 and 74, and the even chapters feature examples of women in the Bible living out these principles. Each chapter ends with a story from an older woman (at least 70) walking and aging gracefully with Christ.
When it comes to aging, culture has unfortunately been my chief instructor. I picked up this book because I will turn 30 soon, and getting older has been scaring me a little. But Susan and Sharon’s many beautiful insights and principles about aging and the God who created it eased my fears. I never knew what Scripture says about aging, and I enjoyed learning more. Furthermore, I loved reading the various accounts of older godly women and how they flourished in old age.
The biggest lesson I took away from this book is that whatever my age or season, I can still bear fruits to the glory of God. Susan writes, “The gospel is big enough, good enough, and powerful enough to make every moment of every season of life significant and glorious.” And Sharon writes, “Whatever your age, it’s not too late, or too soon to flourish.” As a single woman, I often think I cannot be of much use to God because I am not a wife or a mother, but as these ladies reminded me, God can make any season of our lives meaningful.
I recommend Aging with Grace primarily to older women who want to flourish and finish their race with grace, though younger women can certainly benefit from it as well.
Crossway Publishers graciously gave me a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
