If you often smell like this – you just may be getting older. There are spiritual signs of maturing, also.

Our oldest granddaughter is coming to see us this week… with her boyfriend. He already knows us (kind of). We like him.

But while just meeting your girlfriend’s parents can be a challenge, I can hardly imagine his temporary discomfort coming to spend a couple of nights with his girlfriends GRANDPARENTS!!! A two generation gap is a pretty difficult climb.

But we’ve taken all the clear plastic off the furniture, collected the fifty or so doilies under almost everything smaller than a toaster, and we’ve traded in our 4,000 pound Buick beast for an all-wheel drive Subaru off-road vehicle. Those few things should lessen the shock of being in the home of people in their 70s.

But some evidence of advancing age cannot be hidden. Like the smell of Ben Gay and a few stray grey hairs on a bathroom vanity. (Speaking of Ben Gay I wrote a devotional called “Ben Gay and Egg Nog.” Those were my Dad’s primary weapons against almost any assault on his body. They must have worked because he lived to eighty-four after brain surgery, stomach surgery, triple bypass heart repair and several strokes, the last which finally took his life!)

Before I transition into my spiritual insight into this subject, let me say that 1. We have never had clear plastic over anything except the floor while painting. 2. We have a few doilies in storage in memory of people who made them. 3. And the closest we ever game to a tank-type sedan was a four door Impala I used while working for a missions organization.

Now a spiritual parallel. There are some telltale signs of growth in every believer who is seriously following Jesus. It may not be the smell of BenGay, but still evident from miles away that these folks have known Jesus long enough to pick up some important traits.

• They are harder to rob of their joy. “The joy of the Lord is their strength.’ Nehemiah 8:10 KJV
• They are more difficult to push out of their peace. “You will keep him in perfect peace… because he trusts in You.” Isaiah 26:3 NKJV
• Divine navigation keeps them from getting lost. “And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it…” Isaiah 30:21 KJV
• They have greater stability in turmoil. “Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.” Psalm 62:2 NIV

May these ‘symptoms’ and others mark your progress as a follower of Jesus. Never be embarrassed at getting ‘older’ in your walk with Him.