Who Qualifies as ‘Young’?

The question came up over coffee with a friend, a Korean pastor who, like me, is retired. He shared South Korean social media post from April 2021 claiming the United Nations was introducing startling new age classifications:

• 0-17 Underage
• 18-65 Youth/Young People
• 66-79 Middle Aged
• 80-99 Elderly/Senior
• 100+ Long-lived elderly

Are “youth” really people all the way to age 65? Does “middle age” really include persons as old as 79? Do we not become “elderly” until we attain the age of 80? This post was later debunked—the UN did not issue such a list—but it provoked plenty of discussion online and with my friend over coffee.

How long do people remain “young”? When do we become “old”? How long does “middle age” last? When do we really become an adult? When do we become a senior citizen? What do all these categories say about us and to us?

Long ago, when I was in my early 40s, I had a moment when I was privately impressed by my advancing wisdom and my contributions to society. I recognized that I had been in school until the age of 26, and that for over 15 years I had been “contributing to society” as a fully recognized adult. No matter that my boyish face still made many people assume I was a youth pastor instead of a “real” pastor. No matter that in the next 25 years I would develop a deepening recognition of what I did not know instead of being enthralled by what I thought I did know.

I remember coming up with a clever categorization of three stages of life: The “learning years” (all the years until I finished seminary), the “earning years” (those years until retirement when I was supposedly contributing to society), and the “yearning years” (those years following retirement when I anticipated spending much time longing for the second coming of Jesus and for release from the world of suffering and aging).

I’ve grown so much in the past 25 years (I’m now 68), and I regularly recognize how flawed my perspective was when I came up with my ditty of three stages of life. Thankfully, I never shared it with anyone until now. Perhaps God graciously used the intervening years to challenge my assumptions.

The truth is, healthy people are always learning, no matter their age. And true disciples are called to be always yearning. Productivity and earning are as much or more an act of God’s grace than a result of our gifted effort. And retirement, for those fortunate enough to experience it, doesn’t mean sitting in a great waiting room. It is a time of learning, yearning, and contributing to the good of God’s kingdom.

Apparently many people as they age see being “youthful” as something to be cherished. They fear it is bound to expire. Our culture adores youth and disdains aging. Perhaps I’m especially aware of this because I live in California, with its abundance of plastic surgeons and billboards filled with youth-oriented images. I suspect people across the western world are bombarded with these emphases. Perhaps that is why the erroneous Korean social media post sparked a global conversation.

I’d like to share an alternate perspective on aging:

• If you ever feel as if you’re getting old, recognize that God is a God who offers vigor for as long as we have life. Psalm 103:5 speaks of our youth being renewed like the eagle’s. Isaiah 40:31 observes, “Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles.” We might need to accept the gift of a good nap or endure the challenge of a poor night’s sleep, but God’s grace is always renewing, always pointing toward hope.
• If you sense yourself becoming crankier as you age, accept the invitation to dwell on those verses above and ask what God might be trying to teach you. In other words, keep learning! Ecclesiastes 4:13 says, “Better a poor but wise youth than an old but foolish king who no longer knows how to heed a warning.”
• If you’re enthralled with having a youthful spirit, be sure to keep learning from those who have more experience and especially from the God who made us. Ecclesiastes 12:1 says, “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth.” Beware of the tendency to believe we have a complete and pure understanding of the mind of God.
• Toward that end, recognize the temptations that come in this world that must be challenged if we are to be mature, effective, and truly useful. 2 Timothy 2:22-23 is a good passage for all of us who are assaulted with the cultural tendencies toward pride and argumentativeness.

I do believe it is a blessing to grow old. I also am learning that limits come with the aging process. And I’m recognizing that there is a sad tendency for those in “middle age” to disregard the perspective and experience that comes only with age. I’m more appreciative of those over 80 than I have ever been.

Whatever our age, and no matter how many years God gives us, perhaps we can learn to focus on the reality C.S. Lewis describes in the final paragraphs of The Last Battle. He speaks of the period when we begin “Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on forever: in which every chapter is better than the one before.” Let us thank God for each of those who have been called to that reality, and let us all prepare for the day when we will join them!

When asked for common categories of aging, ChatGTP offers the following:

The most general age grouping commonly accepted worldwide is as follows:

1. Infants: 0-2 years old
2. Children: 3-12 years old
3. Teenagers: 13-19 years old
4. Adults: 20-64 years old
5. Seniors/Elderly: 65 years old and above

In the United States, the age grouping is generally similar, with some variations. However, it's important to note that age groupings can vary in different contexts and may not be universally standardized.

Discussion Questions:

1. When do you think a person becomes old?
2. When does adulthood begin, and why?
3. When does middle age start, when does it stop, and when does “senior citizenship” begin?
4. What is your greatest challenge in the aging process?