What’s Age Got To Do With It?

My guy and I have been seeing a personal trainer for several months now, and have gotten to know him through conversations between sets. He mentioned that he bought his first home recently and that his girlfriend lives with him. Tyler knows that we are big marriage proponents, heading up the Couples Ministry at our church, and leading small groups on strengthening marriage. So we started teasing him a little about when he was going to get married. He dodged our questions at first, but finally looked sheepish and said something that blew us away: Guys, I’m only 21 years old.

This kid is a really good trainer; he bosses us around that gym with no hesitation, and knows how to help both of us with our individual issues. I would have guessed he was at least five years older. Then he sat back in his chair and said, “Here we go, this is when you fire me because I’m so young.” He has actually had clients stop using him when they learn his age, or some who continue, but stop showing him the same respect previously shown. Unbelievable.

My immediate reply was, “Tyler, we have an 18 year old daughter who can teach me something new every single day.” I can, and do, often learn from our younger teens, as well.

What is it about our society that simultaneously glorifies youth and judges it? It seems that we give too much respect to being young when it comes to beauty and not enough when it comes to success. This man has expertise in an area that I do not, I’m going to listen and learn from him for as long as I can.

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. 1 Timothy 4:12