It’s amazing how one’s perspective changes over time.

My friend Ray, 70 years old, life-long athlete, fellow disciple-maker, and I were discussing my knee surgery (from which I’m continuing to recover). Ray’s doctor said his knees appear OK for now with this caveat: “If it hurts when you do something, don’t do that anymore!” So Ray has backed off running in favor of walking and cycling.

The doc’s advice made perfect sense, and I practice it myself. Except I immediately thought of my conversation with a doctor back in 1981. I had hurt my knee playing soccer in 1979, and two years later, it wasn’t back to full strength. I thought it needed some surgical intervention. One orthopedist told me essentially the same thing Ray’s doctor told him: “Look, Bob. If it hurts to play basketball, don’t play basketball anymore.” My immediate response was, “Doc, I’m 34 years old, I have three sons, there’s no reason for me to stop playing basketball or anything else I want to do. I want my knee fixed!”

What’s the difference? I’m nearly 40 years older, that’s what! We all used to think, “That won’t happen to me!” But it has. As Ray said, the Bible speaks to that in a few places:

Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them”— …when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men stoop, when the grinders cease because they are few, and those looking through the windows grow dim; …when the almond tree blossoms and the grasshopper drags itself along… (Ecclesiastes 12.1 – 5, NIV)

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. (2 Corinthians 4.16, NIV)