Youth and Old Age

"[How] shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed according to thy word" Psalm 119:9.

The question is revealing. Notice the psalmist doesn’t say, “Why should a young man cleanse his way?” Neither does he ask, “Shoulda young man cleanse his way?”

He has already moved past the point that so many young people struggle with, which is to question authority and wonder why mental, emotional, and physical purity is so important. He knows that he is sinful and foolish before a holy God. He is not questioning the need to cleanse his way, but instead is now pursuing the best means to accomplish this.

And how is it to be done? By taking heed to—by internalizing and personalizing—the Word of God. On one hand this may be disappointing, if you hoped for a more entertaining, less demanding solution. Nothing less than an unblinking gaze into the mirror of God’s Word will show you the genuine flaws in your character and mindset.

On the other hand, it is greatly encouraging. The solution for which you seek is readily available! You do not have to climb to the top of a mountain in Tibet, or have a certain social or religious pedigree, or attain some academic status in order to know and understand how to purify your life and please God.

The solution is simple, but it is not easy. Take heed to, study hard, God’s Word, the Bible. Make his wisdom your own, and live by it.