Reluctant Retiree

Recently I was asked to write an article about my accomplishments as a youth. To be honest, I couldn’t remember anything significant. My youth baseball teams received the Sportsmanship Award every year, primarily because we always lost and the league felt sorry for us. Those were the days before Participation Awards. I did manage to get good grades, but my friends didn’t care about that.

As we get older we pursue more sophisticated things. We seek a great job that fulfills and rewards us. We want a nice house and fancy car. We save for exotic, and expensive, vacations. Many of us seek fame and fortune. All of this may be good, at least while it lasts.

Matthew 6:19-20 says, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” How tragic is it to only pursue temporal things that will not last! We are given a short time on earth, so we must not waste it with frivolous pursuits. Let us respond to God’s calling by going after love, faith, and hope. Let’s enrich ourselves and others by doing good for all, leaving behind selfish pursuits. Then we are laying up treasures in heaven.

Off and on my wife and I try to downsize our possessions. It started when we left the States to live in Nepal. We gave away everything we owned, except the 11 boxes of stuff we needed in Nepal. We were blessed as we were able to provide some necessary things to people in need. Since we returned from Nepal, we have gradually acquired more and more things. Now I feel like we are overloaded again.

God makes an unusual promise in Psalm 36:7-9 when it is said of Him, “How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light.”

He promises that if we will draw near to Him in His house and trust Him as our refuge, We will find protection from evil underneath His wings. We will also receive His many delights, life, and light. Those delights include salvation, redemption, hope, joy, and His steadfast love. The life He gives is eternal and abundant. The light we receive will guide us to our purposes in Him. Come near to God and receive His delights.

Human beings are intrinsically selfish. When we give, we generally have some expectation of a return, if not a gift in return, some kindness. The same is true when we do something to help another person. We expect that we will receive help when we need it, or we expect others to think highly of us for our good deed. We easily discard relationships when our needs or expectations are not met.

God’s love for us is completely different. In Hosea 14:4 God says, “I will love them freely.” He has no expectation of a return for His love. We have nothing to offer Him. And we have done nothing to earn His love, nor is there anything we could do to make God love us. He freely loves us because He is love. His love is abundant, steadfast, and everlasting.

We choose whether to accept or reject God’s love. By accepting His love we receive salvation and eternal life. By rejecting His love we miss out on the abundant and eternal life. Whether we accept or reject God’s love, He will always love us.

Little children have it right. They understand love by what their parents do for them. Then they show love by little acts of kindness for others. Our refrigerator is covered by art projects that our grandchildren have made for us. Their faces light up when they show us what they have made. Children also show their love by participating with us in whatever we are doing. They love to help bake our favorite cookies or fix the bathroom sink.

I John 3:18 says, “Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” No one really ever outgrows knowing love through actions. True love is demonstrated by the kindnesses we show to others. Show a little love today through some by giving some unexpected kindness to somebody.

Jesus, Himself, proved this truth. Romans 5:8 says, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” God took action to prove His love for us. He gave up His only Son as a sacrifice that we might be saved. No greater love exists. We receive His love by accepting God’s grace and mercy. God’s love is available today, if you will only just receive it.

I have never considered myself to be a brave person. Oh, I have done some brave things. I have hiked along a riverside in the Himalayan mountains, crossing through rivers and over landslides. For me, that 3 day trek required some courage. I have also stood in front of hundreds of people and given lengthy speeches. Again, for me that took a good amount of bravery.

I have heard it said that a hero is not one who has no fear, but one who overcomes his fears to do what is necessary. Fears serve a good purpose in keeping us from doing foolish things by properly assessing risks. But when fears begin to overwhelm and decapacitate us, we face the real danger of surrender.

Psalm 108:13 says, “With God we shall do valiantly; it is he who will tread down our foes.” With God we can bravely face our fears, because He can overcome any foe that may come against us. He surely has the power. And because He loves us, He will ultimately not allow us to be defeated. The victory belongs to the Lord.