Two of my favorite explorers are Lewis and Clark (photo). Having been a wilderness canoe guide in my youth I’m amazed by their accomplishment. And I’m well aware that my guiding days are over.
Then I read this from T.S. Elliot: “old men need to be explorers.” Now, I don’t consider myself to me an old man, but I’m certainly not young anymore (I’ll turn 61 in two months).
I’m struck by Elliot’s understanding of aging. It inspires me. And scares me too. I want to be brave enough to explore and to be a wise elder, but it would be easy to kick back and let others deal with the problems facing the country and the churches.
Then it struck me, Elliott doesn’t have it quite right. I would put it this way: “Old men need to be explorers with the next generation of explorers.” Exploration should be done cross-generationally.
I find that exciting because there are so many incredible younger people I’m privileged to meet and journey with. For example, I recently taught a class at Luther Seminary that had 10 outstanding young explorers. And last summer I was blown away by the character and skills of the camp staff at Flathead Bible Camp.
So, in this New Year I’m going to commit to exploration, but I’m going to do it cross-generationally. Maybe that’s what Jesus was doing on that road to Emmaus.
Who are you exploring with? What are you exploring? Will it make a difference in the Kingdom?
