Snaggletooth

By Colly Caldwell

   “1 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": 2 While the sun and the light, The moon and the stars, Are not darkened, And the clouds do not return after the rain; 3 In the day when the keepers of the house tremble, And the strong men bow down; When the grinders cease because they are few, And those that look through the windows grow dim; 4 When the doors are shut in the streets, And the sound of grinding is low; When one rises up at the sound of a bird, And all the daughters of music are brought low. 5 Also they are afraid of height, And of terrors in the way; When the almond tree blossoms, The grasshopper is a burden, And desire fails. For man goes to his eternal home, And the mourners go about the streets. 6 Remember your Creator before the silver cord is loosed, Or the golden bowl is broken, Or the pitcher shatter-ed at the fountain, Or the wheel broken at the well. 7 Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, And the spirit will return to God who gave it. 8 "Vanity of vanities," says the Preacher, "All is vanity... 13 Let us hear the whole conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His command-ments, For this is man's all. 14 For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil" (Ecclesiastes 12:1-8).

   Do you remember the word “snaggletooth?” It is easier to picture it in your mind than to define. Technically it refers to a broken tooth but it came to refer to the hole left in the row of teeth when one or more of them is missing. I probably heard it first when I was five-years-old and the first of my baby teeth had been pulled by my Daddy. I think I remember it, but if not I heard it again when each of my brothers opened his mouth while we took pictures when they were five. I also heard it when we were visiting my Granddaddy in Arkansas. He introduced us to one of his middle-aged friends who chewed tobacco and put snuff under his lower lip. The remaining teeth were brown and yellow so his missing a few did not alter his looks that much.

   Of course, Solomon is referring to reaching an age when vision, hearing, and other natural bodily functions begin to perform differently than when we were young. Then one is called upon to give serious contemplation to his state of being. The wise man says we should give that consideration earlier. One day we will wake up, look in the mirror and see a snaggle-toothed man whose “grinders cease because they are few.” You make the application.

I am not certain I would have thought to thank God for dentists a few years ago. One can expect a degree of discomfort at their hands. This past week, however, three of them and six attendants saved me from being snaggle-toothed. Not that I am getting old and vain, you see, but I am not visiting them because my issue is baby teeth.

   I have to tell you, I agonized at first over having to pull out my credit card upon an analysis of my problem before the fix was in. I decided, however, not to raise a question about it when I remembered hearing of a patient who challenged the fee. “That’s a lot of money just for a two-minute extraction,” he said. The dentist replied, “I can pull it slower if you’d feel better about my charge.”

   Well, what is the ancient preacher teaching us. First of all, these effects will occur in every life that is blessed with aging. Five-years-old, fifty-years-old, ninety-five-years-old, we are all subject to the dreaded snaggle-tooth. He speaks directly to those who are at an age when this is not yet a problem. But it will be a problem if we live long enough. And what should we do with this understanding of life?

   We should “Remember our Creator.” Often people think serving God is something to do when you are older and more serious about life. The days of youth signify strength and vigor. “Youth” can be a relative term. When one is forty, youth is twenty. When one is eighty, youth may be almost any age below that. Here it seems to represent the times of life prior to one’s losing his ability to fully function as described. During this time as a young person you are energetic, lively, healthy and fit, growing, vibrant and quite often will-ing to take risks. These characteristics can be a bless-ing but they can also be a curse if not applied wisely. God has blessed young people with the strength and energy to serve Him and do His will. Use that time for your Creator, living for God. As Paul said to Timothy, “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine” (1 Tim. 4:12-13).