Turning 62 is OK, as long as I don't turn into an "ultracrepidarian".

Yesterday I had my 62nd birthday.  My daughter asked me if I felt older, and I told her the truth:  "No, I don't.  As far as how I feel, I could be 42."  Maybe it's because age sort of creeps stealthily up on us and takes us by surprise!

I think this baby picture of me was taken when I was almost 2 years old.  It's on my naturalization certificate (I was born in Mexico), dated December 1955 - but I don't know when the photo itself was taken.  Curls all over...but Mom told me that when I was born, I was so bald that when she wanted to put a hair bow on me, she had to tape it to my  head!

No, I don't mind getting older.  But I don't ever want to become an "ultracrepidarian", like some "old" people do.  What is an "ultracrepidarian"?  It's someone who doesn't know what he's talking about! It describes a person whose comments, judgements, advice, etc., are not at all within his/her expertise or knowledge. Actually, one doesn't have to be "old" to qualify!  Lots of younger people fit the description. So instead of telling someone, "You don't know what you're talking about", we can just say, "You are such an ultracrepidarian!"  (What a fun word!)
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Job's "friend" Elihu saw him as suffering from this affliction (even if the word hadn't been invented yet in whatever language he spoke back then!). "So Job opens his mouth with empty talk; without knowledge he multiplies words." (Job 35:16)

Then Job himself admitted it:  "Surely I spoke of things I did not understand."  (Job 42:3)
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I really like Proverbs 19:2:  "It is not good to have zeal without knowledge."  We can be enthused, all fired-up, excited about topics or projects...maybe even consider ourselves "zealous".  But if we don't know enough about the subject, the situation or the scenario, what we say can end up sounding ridiculous...or crazy...or dangerous...or just stupid and annoying.  (And here we thought we sounded so cool and smart and wise!)

The only Person who never, ever could be called an ultracrepidarian is God Himself.  That's so comforting, knowing that whatever He says, He always says it from a position of the highest authority and knowledge, and with the finest, noblest objectives in mind.  So we can trust every word that comes from Him.  He said: "So is the word that goes out of my mouth:  It will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."  (Isaiah 55:11)
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Because the psalmist trusted what God had said, he wrote "Your promise renews my life."  (Psalm 119:50)

                                  "Every word of God is flawless."  (Proverbs 30:5)
                                       Who better to teach us how to use ours?
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