70 Up: How have you changed as you have grown up?

As 70 Up concludes on ITV, Ivan Radford reflects on growing older.

‘Give me a child until he is seven and I will show you the man.’ Whether you attribute those words to St Ignatius Loyola or Aristotle, they were the starting point for Seven Up!, a documentary that began a ground-breaking series in 1964. 

The Up series: An ambitious journey

The ambitious Up project followed a group of 10 boys and 4 girls in the UK, then returned to each of them repeatedly through their lives to see how they were doing.

It’s a fascinating, landmark piece of TV, which has now culminated in the final instalment – 70 Up – on ITV. Director Asif Kapadia took over the reins for this last special from Michael Apted, who passed away in 2021 and led the series since 7 Plus Seven in 1971.

What happened to the children from 7 Up?

The children originally selected were deliberately chosen to represent a range of socio-economic backgrounds, the hope being that it would track how their social class would impact their development and their future.

They included: Andrew, from Kensington, who claimed to read The Financial Times at the age of seven and went on to study at the University of Cambridge and become a solicitor; and Lynn, from East London, who became a librarian and had the refurbished library at St Saviour’s primary school in Poplar named in her honour after she passed away.

A lot happens over the course of a life, but what’s interesting is to see the participants now and go back to see how they have grown and changed. Do they recognise parts of who they are now in how they were as a child? Have they become a different person?

Growing in wisdom and humility

In Practising the Way, John Mark Comer observes that we ‘become what we give our attention to, for better or worse’. In a world that is always trying to influence, shape and conform us, as Christians we are called to ‘not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind’ (Romans 12:2). Then we ‘will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will’. 

That transformation, that renewal, is an ongoing process: none of us is perfect now or will become perfect after a week, month or even several years of following Jesus. But when we give our attention to him as our primary focus – before everything else and amid everything else in our lives – we will become more Christlike. The good news is that means God still has more work to do within you – there is more road ahead in your life, whatever it holds, to journey with him.

With age comes wisdom, perspective, patience and a growing experience of God’s presence with you. But rather brilliantly, as we grow up, Jesus also leads us to become more childlike. 

Matthew 18:3 says: ‘Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven.’ Because a child trusts, as well as questions. A child relies on their parent to have their best interests at heart. A child hasn’t yet learnt from the world to define themselves by what they have or their status, but holds on to themselves as loved and valued, and instinctively shows that love to others. 

A child approaches the world, themselves and God with humility. And that childlike humility leads to forgiveness, hospitality, gratitude, a willingness to keep learning and, ultimately, to joy.

If you went back to read your old school reports, would you recognise yourself? If you look at yourself now, do you recognise Christ in you?

Reflect and respond

• Read Romans 12. What is shaping and conforming your mind?
• How have you changed over time?
• What factors have influenced your life? How can you help others overcome socio-economic challenges in their own lives?
• What you are grateful for? Where do you see joy?