Pleasure. Relaxation. Autonomy. Fun. Freedom. Travel.
All words deeply associated with that golden word: retirement.
People do all sorts of things to prepare for retirement, such as setting up a 401(k), a health savings account, or an IRA. So much effort and thought is put into preparing for that big day. People look forward to reaching that point where they can stop working, and the sooner, the better. The word retirement suggests better living to many—and what does “better” mean? Easier. Fewer expectations. Freedom. Time to do what you want, when you want.
Whatever a person’s profession or life requirements, it’s often seen as more of a forced chore than a blessing. It’s just work.
Some people say they want to retire to better serve their families and communities, but relatively few do that on a daily or weekly basis.
Why not? Because requirements and expectations feel like a hindrance to what we want to do. And we want to be free of those things. We don’t want such burdens. We don’t want to feel tied down to regular expectations and tasks; thus, we want to retire in the full sense of the word. We want to do what we want, when we want to do it. And what acts of service we do engage in at that point can mostly be limited to what is pleasurable to us.
The work we have before we retire may be work God gave us to do; that much we may admit, but He certainly doesn’t expect us to work our whole lives! My heavens. It isn’t like the work before us is a good work! It’s just what we have to do to get to the fun part of life. We work in order to do something better with our time. What God REALLY wants is for us to have fun and enjoy ourselves! To eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.
Therefore, once we reach a certain age, it doesn’t matter if we’re physically and mentally capable of doing work. It’s not like God expects us to be productive and helpful people our ENTIRE lives, is it? Certainly not! I’m quite sure Abraham, Moses, Paul, and Peter all retired at 65. I think I remember the verses being something like, “And when they reached the age of 65, God commanded: ‘Stop working and serving others! Start living more for yourself! Why labor any longer when you can take a permanent earthly vacation? Weary yourself no more; your work here on earth for me is done. 65 years was more than enough for me! Now spend the next 10-20+ years doing whatever you like!”
This entire discussion is foolishness to the world. The world says, yes, this is exactly how we ought to live. But what does God actually say in Scripture about work and leading productive lives?
God warns us repeatedly against idleness and self-centeredness. We are never told to live for earthly pleasure; in fact, Scripture repeatedly commands the opposite. We are commanded to live lives worthy of the calling we have received, specifically in service to one another.
St. James warns the people against living for earthly pleasure: “You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence.”[1]He then says this has prepared them for the slaughter. Harsh words indeed. Living for ourselves, lounging in our riches and pleasures, will bring no good to us.
St. Paul writes, “For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone is not willing to work, don’t let him eat. For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies. Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.”[2] And we should note here that unwilling is not at all the same as unable. People who are unable to work must be cared for, ideally by the church and not the government. But the reader must also realize the flip side of this is that “unable” is not the same as “unwilling.” “Unable” is not “because someday I’ll be unable.” Unable is a current state in which you quite literally cannot do something.
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”[3], indicating we are to work in whatever we do. In our daily tasks, we should put forth such effort that those tasks fall under the heading of “work,” to the glory of God.
The Bible does not command you to work a 9-5 job that you currently hold until you are physically unable to do so anymore. You may find other work. Perhaps not even a 9-5. I know a woman who is 85 and serves at a community soup kitchen weekly, helps lead a weekly Bible study, and serves at every opportunity within the church. She works in the church kitchen, helps at events, and cares for other older (and younger) women in the congregation. She constantly looks for people who need help and helps them freely. She cares for her husband, who has physical and mental issues. She also helps her grown grandson daily in every way he needs, as he has some rather serious struggles of his own. She is a prayer warrior who wrestles in prayer daily. How do I know this? She wrestled in prayer for me for two solid years during a difficult time, writing me daily with Bible verses, words of encouragement, and reminders that she was praying for me. She is what Scripture calls a woman who “is well known for her good deeds.”[4] She no longer holds a regular “job,” but she does not live for herself. She has made serving her job. And she does it daily.
Work you must. Sitting there watching football for 45 hours a week is neither respecting nor revering the sacrifice Christ made on the cross to win you from your sins to life eternal. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”[5] God prepared good works for you to do before you were even born. You were prepared, it means, to do something. To work. Not to endlessly lounge around in free time.
We ought to spend our lives in service to others. Every day. As long as we are capable of speaking and moving our bodies, we should use our abilities to the glory of God.
Pastoral retirement has specifically long confused me. Historically, pastors understood that their calling was lifelong. However, in America today, that concept has largely vanished from Protestant circles. You are called to be a pastor here until such time as you can afford to retire. Interestingly, Scripture contains no instance of someone called by God to lead His people being uncalled while he still lives, unless he actively turns away from the Lord. The man may become incapacitated and unable to do much, which is perfectly understandable, but he never ‘retires’ from the Lord’s call. In other words, he is never no longer a leader of God’s people. Even at the end of his life, when God commanded Moses to ordain Joshua, God said, “Confirm some of your authority,”[6] not all of it. And Moses continued speaking to the people and communicating God’s Word until he took his last breath.
I have a friend whose grandfather is 92 years old and lives in an assisted living facility. He still ministers to people however he can. He still prays with people, reads the Bible to them, and leads small services within the facility. Why? Because God called him many years ago to be a pastor to His people, and that call is irrevocable.
We have so many empty churches right now, and so many needy people, yet we have healthy, capable men leaving the ministry to retire as soon as they see the door open wide enough to squeeze through. Out they go. Quick as a flash. Even before they can ensure their seat has been filled by another. They leave churches to fend for themselves and if the flock scatters, it scatters.
This comes not from concepts found in Scripture but from American autonomy and entitlement. The “I deserve it because I’ve earned it.” They feel they deserve retirement because they’ve worked hard. And many of them have. All of us feel this way to one degree or another, because we’re all sinful human beings, and the effect of sin is to turn inward and to feel we are owed something for what we do. But we deserve nothing and are only ungrateful servants. We have all done nothing more than what the master asked of us. We are owed nothing. We are not entitled to anything. We are actually required to continue to serve and to live a life of daily self-sacrifice. This requirement does not end until we die, just as it didn’t end in Christ’s earthly life and still doesn’t end with him. He serves as the ultimate example of continuing to care for His people even when He could be living for Himself, and we are to follow in His footsteps. He died so that we might live, and lives so that we may not die. His life is one of service to all. He does not take advantage of His birthright to live a life unto Himself but rather spends His time watching over His people, caring for them, and ministering to them.
God help us all to live a life worthy of the calling of God.
[1] James 5:5
[2] 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12
[3] Colossians 3:23-24
[4] 1 Timothy 5:10
[5] Ephesians 2:10
[6] Numbers 27:20
