Life is ever changing. And we’re often called to bring many new and creative approaches to meet the challenges of our day. But many old gems will still sparkle just as bright. And wisdom reminds us to offer both the new and the old treasures God has given us.
Occasionally, we’re tempted into believing that new is always better. And this can stem from our pride and arrogance – a disdain for all that has come before. But it’s equally as unhelpful to hold so tightly to the old that we become rigid and unable to adapt to changing times.
On the one hand, questions are being asked today that were not asked yesterday. The landscape is different, and we must be creative in bringing truth and goodness to the new realities of our day. God is a dynamic and creative God and we’re to reflect this as well. In fact, it’s often laziness and a lack of faith when we become static and stale.
At the same time, some treasures are timeless – good yesterday, today, and forever. And perhaps it takes greater humility to bring these out because they don’t require us to show off our creative genius anew. But there’s no need to constantly reinvent the wheel, and things of true value will still be just as effective today despite being aged.
Allowing for the old and the new lets the collective wisdom of yesterday to still bless us, even as we remain faithful to working out fresh perspectives today. We become shortsighted and impotent when we swing to one extreme or the other.
In the end, use your storeroom of new and old treasures to bring more life and goodness to all. True value is indeed timeless.
Photo by Jouwen Wang on Unsplash
