Father Time Remains Undefeated
Last night, a 58-year-old Mike Tyson, at one time dubbed the “baddest man on the planet” faced 27-year-old Jake Paul, who got famous posting videos on Vine and Youtube. Paul went pro in 2020, but as far as boxing is concerned, compared to Iron Mike, he seems like a cheap fabrication. A tattooed dilettante, more concerned with being seen than actually doing the work. But whatever you may think about these men and their contrasts, perhaps the most glaring one is that one of them is twice the other’s age. Tyson went pro in 1986. Jake Paul was born 1997. Tyson is old enough to be Paul’s father. Last night, the age gap seemed to make all the difference.
This bears reflection from a Christian worldview, particularly the intersection of age and glory. The Bible describes people as fading flowers. A mist, that appears for a little time and then vanishes. As the sand sinks into the lower half of the hour glass, we can’t deny that life is fleeting—we are fleeting. In response, the unbelieving are often desperate to cover up the signs of wear. Human growth hormone, botox, and lip fillers are all on the table. And yet, it’s all in vain. We are all headed to another world. And this really pokes holes in our plans to live forever in this world.
I’m not going to play psychologist, but perhaps the reason why so many men my age and older were giddy for Mike to win is because it would be a some kind of middle finger to aging and death. But last night demonstrated, in the words of Car Romero, “Father Time remains undefeated.” If there’s anything the Tyson/Paul fight displayed last night, it’s just that. But as Christians, we have a brighter hope than the blinding lights of AT&T Stadium. Despite the inevitable weakness of the body, for we who hope in Christ, we can rejoice in what looks like apparent defeat. Take it from the Apostle Paul, a minister of a superior glory.
“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.” —2 Corinthians 4:16
This is how you age well. You understand that even as the body wastes away, your soul is being renewed. More than that, prepared to be in the presence of God! Do you believe that?
