Retire But Don’t Retire
Carrie shares that she is at the age of retirement. The world has many ideas about what retirement looks like, but what does it really mean for the Christian who is living in light of eternal realities?
I think I have “come of age” that in recent months, I have been asked by several people: “when are you retiring?” Both Kai Mun and I have not talked or pondered over this question, perhaps it’s because we still feel able, and I guess, we will continue to work as long as the Lord allows us to.
Retirement has been one of the most talked about topics among people my age or for that matter for a lot of Singaporeans. Some say that you need a million dollars to retire whilst others say, you cannot afford to retire in Singapore and work till you drop dead.
In our culture today, retirement means leaving one’s job and ceasing to work; to enjoy the “golden years” in comfort, leisure, play and entertainment. There’s nothing wrong with any of these delightful things as long as we don’t allow them to be the focus of our lives.
While we Christians are free to retire from our work, we are not free to retire from being a follower of Jesus Christ in serving God and others. Our retirement plan should not be shaped by what the world envisions it to be but rather one that makes God look glorious, one that shows that Christ, and not this world, is our supreme Treasure.
“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:
whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.
To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”
(1 Peter 4:10-11)
Growing and investing our time in family, church and community relationships should not stop with retirement. Older Christians are called to disciple, mentor and teach younger Christians who can benefit from our biblical knowledge and godly wisdom.
God has blessed us with good gifts, abilities and talents whether much or little but how shall we use these good gifts in this new season of life and pour it out for the good of God’s kingdom and others? I would like to suggest one thing that we can do for our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ i.e. “serving and mentoring”. Growing and investing our time in family, church and community relationships should not stop with retirement. Older Christians are called to disciple, mentor and teach younger Christians who can benefit from our biblical knowledge and godly wisdom. We are also modelling for them godly character through how we live. (2 Tim 2:2, Titus 2:3-4). There are younger men and women in our church looking for older women and men to disciple them. Consider spending ourselves for their good instead of indulging ourselves in reward for the long years of our labour.
In last Sunday’s sermon, Pastor Mark’s opening words were “it is easy for us to charge through life without seeing the end”. Let’s set our sight on the ultimate destination — heaven beyond the grave — and be content in the glory of Christ now. The psalmist exhorts us to make God known to the generations behind us in Psalm 71:18: “So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.”
“So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.” (Psalm 71:18)
May we spend ourselves to make God, not the world, look glorious and great and finish life to the glory of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.