Ashamed of Confusion

(Psa 71:1 KJV)  In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.

(Proverbs 11 also read)

I am reading today in the KJV and instead of the “ashamed” of the NASB it has “confusion” (954).  The NASB has the more frequent translation, in fact it is the most common in the KJV also, but here it caught my eye.  As I get older I find that my peers seem more and more “confused”.  I am sure that I seem the same to them.  It is part of life and is more pronounced in some than in others.

We develop skill in covering this up and hiding it from others, but eventually people begin to catch on.  It is more than just the occasional forgotten word.  It is being out of touch with the greater reality.  I remember my wife’s grandmother.  If you were only around her for a few minutes you thought she was one of the sharp tacks in the room.  The longer you were with her the more that faded.  The jokes were funny the first time but when repeated lost a bit of zest.

So?  We need to be compassionate with those going through this.  We need to develop the patience to live with it when it hits us.  We need to pray for clarity of mind.  We don’t know the physical reasons for why some decline and others remain sharp.  I pray that God rewards me with mental ability that does not make me ashamed or confused.