The Appropriate Age for Service
The Appropriate Age for Service
Question
What is the appropriate age for a young man or young woman to participate in servant-preparation classes?
Answer
In reality, this matter depends on the extent of maturity—
whether spiritual or intellectual—as well as the degree of sense of responsibility, the level of religious knowledge, and the ability to lead.
Thus, the criterion of age is not the only criterion.
There are older people who are not suitable, and there may be others much younger than them in age who possess a high degree of maturity.
Saint Tadros, the disciple of Saint Pachomius, was very mature in leading monasteries despite his young age. Likewise, it was said about Saint John the Short that “the entire Scetis was hanging on his finger,” even though he was a very young man.
Therefore, nurture these talents before another current seizes them and draws them away from service into the many activities of the world.
Saint Paul the Apostle said to his disciple Timothy the bishop:
“Let no one despise your youth” (1 Tim 4:12).
We also observe that in cities where there are no universities,
after graduation the young man travels to a major city where there is a university. Thus, his original church does not benefit from his service. Often, service does not begin during the General Secondary Certificate stage, because it requires focused study.
For this reason, the church often needs the young person while he is in the first or second year of secondary school. Many of the senior servants today began their service during that stage.
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