One of the men I meet with on Wednesday mornings for prayer shared this week about his desire to see the “seniors” he works with (he said about 60 in several counties including Thomas) to be more engaged. Many of us are “retired” from our jobs (I retired three different times before I finally did several years ago). I think if I had been physically able to do what I had been doing, I would still be doing it (because I enjoyed it!) But many people can’t wait for their retirement – some as young as 62 or 65.

AI defines retirement as “the act of withdrawing from one’s occupation or active working life.” But how that looks will be different for every individual. Health issues can factor in for some individuals as well as things like the desire to move closer to family (particularly children or where a person was raised). Some are fortunate enough through wise planning to be able to do things and go places they did not have the time to do while working full-time. Others are more restricted through personal choice or limited resources.

As he and I were talking, I realized that many seniors have settled into a lifestyle and/ or mindset that limits their effectiveness and influence on the lives of others.  65 or 70 years of life experience usually has a lot of wisdom that has been gleaned over the years. These seniors may know an area that they could share with others. A good friend of mine, recently retired,  worked for a company for many years, and developed an “expertise” in his particular field that his company still draws upon from time to time (as a consultant). Others had a hobby or a passion that they did when they had a little extra time and are now able to devote more time to that area.

One of the ways seniors age mentally more than they could or even should, is to not have a purpose for getting up in the morning. Entertaining oneself with the television, computer or phone is probably not the best way to escape boredom. I enjoy time on my computer and phone but it is not something I do because I am bored or have nothing else to do! I am still learning and have these tremendous resources at my fingertips when I need to know something. Just three years ago I took some courses online to see if I wanted to start an online business. I didn’t do that but made a few friends, most of them much younger than me whom I still have a close relationship with. We still meet together weekly on Zoom and I have been with three of them in person more than once. They love and appreciate me and I can be like a mother figure to them because of our age difference.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, was very young when she became pregnant with Jesus. Her cousin, Elizabeth was very old – too old to bear a child – but God! She did conceive the long-awaited prophet that was to be the forerunner of the Messiah, John the Baptist. Who was the first person Mary wanted to be with when she had this encounter with the Lord? It was her older cousin, Elizabeth. She didn’t stay home with her parents but went to be with Elizabeth and stayed with her for close to six months. What attracted her to Elizabeth?

Seniors who are still able to be physically active are great resources for areas in a community where volunteers are needed. They may not need or want long days but they can be very useful and valuable to organizations that do not have the finances to pay these volunteers for their time. Many of these positions do not require a lot of skills but simply hands that are willing to do the tasks at hand.

Some businesses can hire seniors for positions that they are suited for – like a greeter at Wal-Mart or a cashier in a grocery store. My dad worked for one of the hardware stores here locally after he retired until his health prevented him from continuing. My mentor who encouraged me to start writing books was a retired professor from my alma mater (Florida State University). Her specialty had been helping doctoral students write their thesis. I was not the only one she reached out to and encouraged us to use our writing skills in a way we had not yet done.

For house bound seniors the gift of encouraging others through letter writing and phone calls would help many pastors with their heavy responsibilities to others who are in need of someone who cares for them. As I have written and stated many, many times, it is the older prayer warriors who have birthed revivals as well as sustained them. Many of them have been housebound, but it has not affected their ability to pray powerful prayers that God honors.

The list of possibilities for seniors to use their talents and willingness to serve is probably quite long but my point is that many seniors do not feel needed or even wanted (valued). Every generation is needed and when we can honor and value one another, we can work together and impact our communities in some very positive and tangible ways. We can do it better together, when we esteem one another.

If this article is speaking to you as a senior or perhaps a senior comes to mind that you could encourage and even challenge to get involved in our community, I would feel like I have accomplished what the Lord has laid on my heart this week. When my friend Joan (in her late 60s) told my new friend Lenore (in her late 80’s) that she was a “senior eagle” that the Lord still needed, she responded with such joy (like it was a new revelation). I think when we get to heaven and our lives are replayed, we will be pleasantly surprised at how the Lord used many of these elder eagles to fulfill His heart desires!