My Father had three births of sorts- He was born to his parents in 1918; experienced a spiritual rebirth when he trusted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior in 1968, and then in 1977, he rediscovered the joy of living in a new place, now free from the burden of allergies that had crippled his activity for most of his life. It was to Mesa, Arizona that he and my mother moved in 1977, and it was there that he finally hit his stride.
That thought resonated with me as I prepared for a funeral service this week; a friend and a church member who had spent what he though were his best years battling life, enduring the hardships of our world’s imperfections, and enjoying the blessings of family, friends, and a successful career in business. And then came retirement, which is where I believe this man finally found his stride. Now it was here that he was taking those creative elements of his personality and giftedness that had made him successful in business and applying them to the work of ministry. Ok, so his experience and others I know, isn’t the normal expression of retirement that I see so often. You know what I mean, that “well, I’ve paid the man for years, and its finally time for me to start living for me” attitude that pervades much of the culture these days. It’s that entitlement mindset that I believe was set in motion years ago with the creation of a “retirement age” and perpetuated by the work world that came of age in the sixties and lingers on to the present; a mind which sees its primary goal as driving hard toward the hope of amassing a fortune that will allow them to forfeit the normal responsibilities associated with family, community, and church if only to live unto themselves. Retire by thirty years of age, I read, but then what? Now, don’t misunderstand me, I’m not suggesting that we have to keep pounding that hammer, running that line, or evening spending weeks at a time on the road. Change is good, risk is generally healthy, and our world is more open to opportunities than ever. God has given us work as a blessing not a curse and in most cases our labor can be used for the glory of God.
Consider a friend of mine, Gary Davis, who for most of our younger years operated a small but thriving furniture upholstery business, until, he determined that the Lord had called him into vocational Christian service, specifically as a church planter. After several years of seeking support, and returning to the area we both lived, he realized his dream of starting a small church in the suburbs of Phoenix, Arizona. But maybe even in this, he was not yet hitting his stride. So he capitalized on his family’s love for the mentally and physically challenged, opened his home for their care and management, and eventually happened upon a business model that positioned him as a leader in the sector of this business which provides licensure and certification for providers like him. And so as they say, the rest is history because he now owns a profitable and growing business enterprise, gives more of his time to his local church, and has given much of his profit to missions. So yes, I would say that he has finally hit his stride.
Is there a lesson here? Yep, maybe a couple of them…
Why not pray that God would make you so successful in your current endeavors that you can refine your life’s strategy to accomplish even more for the kingdom of God. The fact of the matter is that too often we have not because we ask not, or we ask amiss… Or I might add we dream too small.
Why not plan your life wider than your own wants and longer than your current timeline. I really do believe that there is something to God’s challenge to Moses that if he would be careful to do all that God asked, He (God) would bless his people with longer and more prosperous lives. You do the math, but consider this; it will likely mean eating better, exercising more and thinking through the specifics of presenting to God a better “vessel” for his service.
Why not pursue God’s business, others’ needs, and your best gifts at an intentional level so that the church, maybe your church, can reap the benefits of God’s richer blessing, your resources, and the time we have available. Who knows, we may see God do some great things– without ever going to Florida or Arizona.
Redeem the time… if not for you, for someone else
MJC
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