Driving down a country road the man finally found what he was looking for. He knocked on the kitchen door and talked with the farmer about buying his old, dilapidated barn. The roof had caved in, the paint had faded, and the boards of the old barn bore the scars of the elements down through the decades. The farmer had intended to tear it down anyway and build a new metal pole building, so the prospect of selling it appealed to him. His curiosity was peaked about what the man wanted with the old falling down barn. The man explained that he was an artist and he wanted to use the barnwood for picture frames. He explained that the weathered gray wood with patches of red barn paint is just the thing to capture the beauty of his style of paintings. The farmer was delighted, and the artist was pleased that the old barn at the end of its life found a new purpose and beauty to display to the world.
Oftentimes, when we get older, we are swiftly passed by on the road of life by those of a younger generation that seem to be in such a hurry. They notice that our shingles are falling off, and the building leans to one side a little, and even the color is fading quite a bit. The years have weathered us, and we no longer have that shiny new appearance when we first started. To many in our world, older folks are like old barns; useless, dilapidated, and ready to be torn down.
God has other ideas for old barns. He is the master artist who sees in our weathered exterior a unique beauty and usefulness. He desires to take all the rich experiences of our lives and put them to use to accomplish His purpose. The psalmist tells us: “They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flouring” (Psalm 92:14). So, no matter how old and falling down these old bodies may become our Heavenly Father is not done with us. He still has many works of art to frame with His old barns.