2 that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience;
reverent [dignified],
Older men should live their lives worthy of respect. Their worthiness elicits the respect of others. These older men should not carry themselves in a silly or foolish way. A “reverent” or dignified person does not carry himself in a superficial or frivolous way. He treats with respect others who experience trouble or tragedy. He understands his own mortality and comprehends the value of opportunity and time. He knows the vacuous nature of emotional living. He can distinguish between what is priority and what is trivial.
temperate [self-controlled],
Mature men should exercise proper restraint in everything. Leadership requires a person to be in charge of himself, self-controlled.
1 Co 9: 24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate [self-controlled] in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.
PRINCIPLE:
Mature older men keep a positive outlook on life because of what they have in Christ.
APPLICATION:
There is a tendency for older men to grow cynical in their advancing years. After many years of disappointment and disillusionment, they can become sour, negative, bitter, or unhappy. That is not the biblical way to end one’s life.
A mature believer grows confident in God’s plan for his life. He knows that God has control of anything that happens to him. We can grow old gracefully if we understand what God is doing with us.
Ro 8: 28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
The Christian has a hope beyond the grave. Because of years of walking with the Lord, mature believers have an extended platform for sharing what God has done in their lives (Ps 71:17; 2 Ti 4:7). They are to exercise biblical standards in their old age, if they are to live exemplary lives. They are to reject the recklessness, instability, and impetuousness characteristic of immature believers.
