The “longevity village” is located on the outskirts of Okinawa, Japan.

Within this village, also known as Ogimi, villagers have cracked the code to vitality. To date, out of Ogimi’s population of 3,000, one hundred and seventy-one inhabitants are in their nineties. Fifteen are centenarians.

While conducting research, they stumbled on ikigai, a key to understanding Japanese life expectancy and longevity. Ikigai means “value of being alive.” The concept is centered on purpose and a reason for being alive. As these centenarians age, their healthy eating habits and positive environments are undergirded by ikigai, their raison d’etre. They wake up each morning with a goal to accomplish their purpose.

As believers, we have a purpose that should ignite us to wake up each morning and face the day with expectancy, even as we age. In the body of Christ, whether you are young or old, you have a responsibility to share the gospel with others.

Senior citizens are important to spreading the Good News of God’s truth. Often, we view aging as an interlude before death. But this should not be the case. If our lives are filled with ikigai, we’ll spread the good news of God’s truth throughout our senior years for God’s glory.