In Numbers 8, the Lord directed Moses' attention to the role and work of the Levites, the tribe that had no land inheritance but was rather to serve the things of the Lord in the tabernacle and the Lord would be their inheritance. At the end of the chapter, we read
The Lord said to Moses, “This applies to the Levites: Men twenty-five years old or more shall come to take part in the work at the tent of meeting, but at the age of fifty, they must retire from their regular service and work no longer. They may assist their brothers in performing their duties at the tent of meeting, but they themselves must not do the work. This, then, is how you are to assign the responsibilities of the Levites” (Numbers 8:23-26).
The "mandatory" retirement age for a Levite was 50. After that, they were to assist their younger brethren in the worship and religious work they were assigned. This has interesting implications for us as we express our purpose and creativity. Here are some thoughts:
- Often as we get older, we don't think we have "lost a step," but sometimes we have. We are to avoid any problems in that area by willingly seeking and accepting roles that assist others rather than take on new and more responsibility.
- The older Levites were to "make room" for the younger ones, helping them where necessary but not keeping them from their work by holding on to a position for an indefinite period of time.
- The age of 50 is not a hard-and-fast rule, for the life span in Numbers 8 was probably less than it is today, but the principle holds true even now: Make room for fresh legs and ideas at some point in your career, work, or even family. Voluntarily move on rather than having to be removed by health challenges or by the governing entity where you serve. No one has a lifetime appointment to any role in God's Kingdom.
- The time to do your work is now. That means you must make the most of every opportunity, realizing the clock is ticking and your days are numbered—even if you are a young 25 years of age.
Where are you delaying your effectiveness, assuming you have a lot of time left? Are you doing all you can do where your purpose and creative gifts are concerned? Where can you look to support someone younger in their God-assigned role? Are you holding on to your position, job, or title as if it is the last one on earth, something you cannot surrender or abandon unless you have no choice?
Fifty is not the magic number to step away from anything but the principle holds true: Walk away while you still have the option to do so and trust the Lord for someone to fill your shoes. Better yet, proactively train people to do so. The answer isn't to hold on to any assignment from God for too long, but to trust the Lord that He has other things for you to do, even if they aren't as prestigious as what you are leaving.
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