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5 Drivers of Health & Wellness

Redefining Aging: Longevity Lessons from Moses’s Purpose-Driven Life

Melissa Garcia Villa

09 Sep 2024

2 min read

Gordon L. Chen, MD

Nov 11, 2024

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min read

Every passing day delivers new ideas on how to live long, purpose-filled lives. Yet perhaps the best model for a long, rewarding life is over 3,000 years old!

Moses stands as a profound example of how purpose can sustain and enhance life, especially at an age when most would be long retired. As Rick Warren, author of Purpose Driven Life, emphasizes, Moses’s most impactful years began after 80, when he led the Israelites out of Egypt. According to Warren, Moses gains true fulfillment through endurance, commitment, and a willingness to serve others. Similarly, theologian John Piper highlights Moses’s remarkable strength and leadership at age 120, noting that his vitality was preserved by God’s grace to fulfill his mission.

I’m not suggesting we should work until we’re 120 years old. But what if, like Moses, instead of choosing to retire and live the good life, we embraced a life of greater purpose that could impact many generations? Rather than view retirement as what we want to do, we should look at retirement as what we were meant to do.

The contrast between significance and success is crucial here. Warren and Piper suggest that a life dedicated to service and purpose can transform the later years from a decline into a time of immense influence. And as John Maxwell famously said, “Success is when I add value to myself. Significance is when I add value to others.” Moses’s life was not marked by personal success but by significant, community-focused leadership.

If we aspire to leave a legacy that endures for future generations, we must rethink our next life phase—regardless of age. The true secret to longevity is not chasing an end goal but finding it as a consequence of living with deep, purpose-driven intent. Moses spent 40 years searching for his purpose in the wilderness, ultimately achieving a significance that transcended his era.

Our most meaningful and impactful years could still be ahead. Like Moses, let’s search for deeper purpose and significance. Through the journey, perhaps we can gain longevity and fulfillment for free.