The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young.
~ Lamentations 3:25-27
Cardiovascular exercise came easier when I was a younger man than it does now. The difference between the twenties and forties is about one pound per year, which is a literal burden I carry daily. The burden of added weight is not what I would call a good yoke!
The word good is mentioned three times in today’s passage. Good can be defined as something that agrees with one’s concepts and opinions. It’s favorable or virtuous.
But, the word “good” in Hebrew means something quite different. According to the Expositor’s Bible Commentary, good means, "That which expresses God’s will and purposes."
In other words, it is God’s will “for a man to bear the yoke while he is young.” It’s good to learn the disciplines necessary to carry the weight of manhood as a young man. It’s good for children to be under the discipline of parents (Hebrews 12:7-11) because it’s in the foundational years of childhood that he learns to become a man.
In his youth a man’s habits are formed, morals solidified, and his God is chosen. A man becomes a man as a boy. Conversely, a boy remains a boy even if he is physically a man.
Chronological age does not turn a male into a man - the choice to transition from male to man does. Carry the weight while you are young so you don't have to carry it when you're older.
Learn to be a man sooner rather than later.
