Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, before the difficult days come, and the years draw near when you say, “I have no pleasure in them.” Ecclesiastes 12:1
From the heart of this highly metaphorical passage at the close of this very practical book, we get the general idea: even the young will someday grow old and die. One day the pleasures of life will all fail (v 1). There comes a day when even the great lights in the sky become dim (v 2), when the knees shake and the shoulders stoop (v 3a), when teeth grow weak and fall out, and the eyes become dark (v 3b). Getting around becomes difficult and dangerous, and the ears grow dull of hearing (vv 4–5). The “almond tree” blossoms when the hair turns white, and physical desire wanes and disappears (v 5). In the final stages, friends and family prepare for the end, when life at last fades away and returns to its source (vv 5–7). For most people who have lived on this earth, youth is indeed vanity, but it needn’t be. Like spring, youth can be the most valuable season of life, but how? By remembering the Creator while we are still young.
It is wise to remember one’s Creator early in life because it is so much easier to do things right the first time. Adam and Eve couldn’t return the fruit once they had eaten it, just as Cain could not recall the mortal blow he dealt to his brother. When one considers the great exertions of moral fortitude that are required to give up sinful pleasures, it is easy to see why it is best never to pursue them in the first place. One must also bear in mind the facts that youth doesn’t last forever and that death comes not only for the old. Youth is a time to be redeemed (Ephesians 5:16) by developing study habits, building a reputation, and learning what it means to be a faithful servant before one accepts the responsibilities of holding a job, maintaining a home, and raising a family.
It is also wise to remember our Creator early in life also because early installments carry the most weight. When you invest, there are basically three variables that affect the value of your investment: principal, interest rate, and time. Of these three, the last carries the greatest leverage. Obviously if all other things are equal, if you double the principal invested, you will double the return. What is surprising is that doubling the interest rate never has as much impact as doubling the time the money is invested. Naturally, however, if you are going to leave money invested longer (and live to see it mature), you must invest it earlier. The same principle holds true in the spiritual realm: if you begin to invest time in Bible study, prayer, evangelism, and other spiritual things early in life, the rewards to you, your family, the church, and the world will be extraordinary! When the time comes for you to step into a new role, you will be ready.
What if you forgot your Creator when you were young? Paul had troubling memories of his former days, but he left them behind and looked constantly ahead (Philippians 3:13–14). Do your best with what you have now, and encourage young people all you can to do better. Because he often regretted being deprived of a good education, George Washington saw to it that his stepson Jackie had access to the best education that money could buy. Even if you didn’t get the best start, do everything within your power to see to it that someone else does.
Young people don’t have to waste their early years. Youth is not at all vanity if we learn then to fear God and keep His commandments!