They Shall Be Fruitful in Old Age

According to several studies, the most productive age of a human life is considered to be between 60 and 70 years old. This is often attributed to the accumulated knowledge, experience, and wisdom gained throughout life at this stage. The second most productive age range is 70-80. The third most productive age range is 50-60. The average age of Nobel Prize winners is 62.

There are many people who accomplished great things at a late age. Colonel Harland Sanders was 62 years old when he founded the KFC fast food franchise that we know today. Nelson Mandela was 76 years old when he became the first democratically elected president of South Africa. Ray Kroc was over 50 years old when he purchased his first McDonalds in 1961. Sam Walton started the first Wal-Mart at the age of 44. Toni Morrison, the acclaimed novelist of the black experience, at age 62 became the first African American woman to win the Nobel Prize for Literature.

There is a sense in today’s church that the current generation is lacking in the religious upbringing experienced by previous generations. For this reason, churches pour into the younger generation to pass on religious experiences. While it is great to train the younger generation to live God-fearing lives, we must be careful not to neglect the elders in the church.

Elderly church members should not feel that they are devalued. God sees the value in us all. The Bible says, “Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing” (Psa. 92:13-14).

God calls people of all ages to serve him. The Bible has many examples of people over the age of 60 who were called to serve God in various capacities. The following is a list of people who in their golden years were used of God to fulfill his will and purpose in the earth.

Abraham – The father of the nation of Israel, was called to leave his home and travel to Canaan when he was 75 years old (Gen. 12:1-2). Abraham was 100 years old when his son Isaac was born (Gen. 21:5).

Anna – A prophetess who lived in the temple and dedicated her life to fasting and prayer. Anna was a widow for 84 years and was rewarded with seeing the Messiah (Lu. 2:37-38).

Caleb – Along with Joshua, Caleb was chosen along with ten other men to spy out the land of Cannan. The other ten men brought back a report that frightened the people, but Caleb and Joshua encouraged the people to have faith in God and go and possess the land. Except for Caleb and Joshua, all the people that rebelled against God died after wandering in the wilderness for forty years. God rewarded Caleb with the land of Hebron as inheritance when he was 85 years old (Jos. 14:10).

Eunice – The mother of Timothy. The Apostle Paul reminds his protege Timothy of the faith instilled in him by his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice. (2 Tim. 1:5).

Joshua – Along with Caleb he was chosen along with ten other men to spy out the land of Canaan. Except for Caleb and Joshua, all the people that rebelled against God died after wandering in the wilderness for forty years (Num. 14:38). Joshua was appointed by God to be the successor to Moses (Deut. 31:1-8; 34:9). At the age of 85 Joshua became Israel’s leader and led for 25 years (Josh. 24:29).

Lois – The grandmother of Timothy. The Apostle Paul reminds his protege Timothy of the faith instilled in him by his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice. (2 Tim. 1:5).

Moses – The greatest prophet that ever lived, was called of God to lead the Israelites out of Egypt when he was 80 years old (Exod. 3:10). Moses led the people for 40 years, from age 80 to 120 (Deut. 34:7).

Naomi – After her husband and two sons died in Moab, Naomi returned to her homeland of Judah with Ruth, her daughter-in-law. Ruth married a wealthy Hebrew of Naomi’s relatives, and bare a son named Obed who was the grandfather of king David and of the lineage of Jesus. (Ruth 1:3-5, 16; 4:9-10, 17).

Samuel – His roles in biblical history were seer, priest, judge, prophet, and military leader. He has the distinction of anointing Saul, the first king of Israel (1 Sam. 10:1), and David, the second king of Israel (1 Sam. 16:13). Samuel judged Israel for about 60 years (1 Sam. 7:15), and was near 100 years old when he died (1 Sam. 25:1).

Sarah – The wife of Abraham was called of God to have a child when she was 90 years old (Gen. 21). The child Isaac was the fulfillment of God’s plan to make Abraham the father of the nation of Israel.

Simeon – As he eagerly waited for the arrival of the promised Messiah, the Holy Spirit told him that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah (Lu. 2:29-32). Simeon was the first Jew to recognize Jesus as the Messiah. The prophetess Anna also saw Jesus that day and went about spreading the good news of his arrival.

Elderly church members possess a wealth of knowledge, experience, and wisdom gained throughout their Christian journeys. We must recognize their value to the church and encourage their contributions of various gifts to the body of Christ. God is no respecter of persons, and will use whomever he chooses to accomplish his will and purpose in the earth, regardless of age. Therefore, the elderly should continually pursue God’s purpose for their lives. Literally, their best days are yet to come.

If you would like to have a personal relationship with Jesus, you must be born-again according to Acts 2:38 which reads, "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."

Thank you for taking the time to read this article. Please share your comments and questions in the comments section below. We would love to hear from you.


Diane Margo Penny is an author, content creator, social media specialist, and Web Designer.

Works Cited:

The Holy Bible, King James Version. Giant Print Reference ed. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson. Publishers, 1990.

Image Citation:

person-3553814_1920. Mabel Amber. [Pixabay.com]. Web. 19 Sept. 2024.