Reluctant Retiree

I am not a big worrier, but I do get anxious about some things. Anxiety sets in with an upcoming dentist appointment. If there is a long line at the store, I begin to wonder whether I will make it to my next meeting. If I desire some new thing, I may ponder whether I will ever be able to get it. When one of my children or grandchildren is struggling, I can be anxious about the outcome.

Those are relatively minor worries. We are all subject to much greater issues that can cause us to worry. Job stresses, unpaid bills, health issues, and relationship struggles can cause major fits of anxiety.

Most worry comes from a lack of contentment with who we are and what we want to control. We worry because we don’t have enough of the right things or the right appearance before others. We think that if we just get that new thing or update our look, others will admire us. It’s all about our self esteem.

God has a better way. Psalm 131:1-2 says, “O Lord, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. ” God says that we should not think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think. He tells us to be content in who He created us to be. Therefore, we should be content in what we have also.

After 70 years of life, I am well aware of my many faults. My ears and nose are too big for my face. My hearing and eyesight are failing. Flabby skin and hair cover too much of my body. Those are just some of my physical deficiencies. On the social and emotional spectrum, I am too easily irritated. My speech reflects my awkwardness. Because I don’t always understand others, I often lack empathy. And those are just some of my most obvious failures.

Those are the ways that I most often see myself. It would be depressing if God didn’t hold a different view of me. Psalm 139:1-14 says, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” God gave me a special design and He is very pleased with it. How can I find fault with His design. On the spiritual side, God loved me enough to sacrifice His own Son so that I can live with Him eternally. I am His beloved and He delights in me. By His Spirit, He is transforming me into the image of His Son. Oh, I am not perfect, but God is always working on me to make me better. His works are wonderful.

Conflict is the order of the day on television. Politicians denigrate each other and refuse to consider the other side’s ideas. So called reality shows highlight deception, trickery, sordid scheming, and accusations. Then there is the news with its reports of violence of man against mankind.

Let’s change all that. I know, what can one person do? One person can change the environment around them. Then that change can be multiplied to the area surrounding the initially impacted environment. Let it start with you and me! For me, I will need God’s help to do this. So I am asking Him to help me; “Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.” (II Corinthians 13:11) Join me in asking God to change us so we can be instruments of peace.

As I walked around the shopping center this morning, I noticed the very different posters displayed in neighboring stores. One store displayed pictures of models with huge smiles and a carefree appearance. The next store’s posters pictured people with very serious looks that appeared to me as scowls of arrogance.

Of course, I cannot say with any assurance what attitudes were really intended. If you look intently at the faces around you and in the media you will see the same dichotomy. Some people walk around with smiles on their faces and a carefree appearance. Others walk around with scowls on their faces and a forceful demeanor. They seem to be saying, “look at me because I am important.” We see this in sports as an athlete celebrates by pounding his chest and posing with that scowl for the camera. Music videos feature the same expression.

Of course, these are only my perceptions, but I wonder if we have gone too far with self-agrandizement. Do our facial expressions convey pride and self importance? Do our celebrations focus on our accomplishments and ignore the assistance provided by others or teammates?

Pride is a dangerous enemy. It slips in unnoticed and takes over our thoughts. It causes us to ignore the needs of others. It keeps us from acknowledging our need for God. II Corinthians 10:17-18 says, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord. For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.” Pride keeps us from God’s approval. Humility draws us close to Him.

I grew up in a large metropolitan area. So I don’t know much about the agricultural concerns of the area I now live in. I understand a few things simply by observation over the last several years. I learned when the farmers plant and harvest the corn. I have seen them rotate the crops from season to season. That is not much knowledge.

The people that Jesus spoke to knew a lot about farming, however. So Jesus used many illustrations about sowing seeds. From these illustrations and the authors of the New Testament we learn such truths as we can expect to reap the things we sow in our lives. If a farmer sows corn seeds, he expects to read corn. If I sow dishonesty and anger, I should expect to reap dishonesty and anger.

Paul puts it this way, “For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.” Galatians 6:8 We cannot obtain eternal life by continuing to sow selfishness, lust, greed,and hostility. Eternal life and salvation are received only by sowing faith in Jesus by grace.

Today I discovered yet another flaw in my thinking. I have been making decisions affected by my inward belief that I am not going to live much longer. I have no idea how much longer I have, but I also have no real indication that my death is imminent. Sure, I have some health issues. Who doesn’t at age 70? But none of these issues is of serious concern right now. So why don’t I want to commit to longer term service opportunities, purchases, or involvements?

God brings new opportunities and exciting adventures each day. I miss this things when I am unwilling to think past the immediate. I don’t know whether I have tomorrow, but I do know that God has given me life now. Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” I am asking God to help me live each day in the fullest by living in the power of His Spirit and by faith in His Son. If I do that, I will not miss the adventures God has for me.

I took a physics class in both high school and college. Unfortunately, I don’t remember much from either class. I do remember a few properties of light, however. Light and darkness are mutually exclusive. When light comes, darkness flees. Some colors reflect light while other colors absorb light.

In the Bible, God and His truth are called light. Where God is, darkness cannot remain. Some people absorb God’s truth and let it shine through them. Others may only reflect His truth and don’t let it affect them in any way.

II Corinthians 4:6 says ,”For God who said, ‘Let light shine out of the darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. ” To those who truly believe in Jesus and trust him as Lord and Savior, to those God has given His light to shine in the darkness all around us.

When we started to have children, many years ago, I wanted to make sure that I would fulfill every promise I made. I remembered being hurt when my parents did not or could not fulfill promises made to me. I didn’t want to inflict the same hurt upon my children.

Unfortunately, as we go through life we find out that promises are very often not fulfilled. Sales people and marketers often cannot substantiate their claims. Politicians overstate their intentions. Friends betray us. Hurts seem to come from all angles and many sources.

Despite our best intentions, we also fail to deliver on occasion. Only God is faithful all the time. God is faithful to His Word. He is faithful to His promises. He is faithful to His people. He is faithful to His unchanging character. God is faithful to me. II Corinthians 1:20 says, “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him (Jesus). That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. “

We all know people who light up a room when they enter it. When they arrive, people flock to them and just want to be in their presence. They have a certain flare and charisma. People feel lifted up while together with them and remain so after they have left.

Then there are those people who drain a room of its energy. They need constant attention and encouragement. Their problems are always so much bigger than everyone else’s, at least in their minds. When they leave, everyone else feels down emotionally and mentally.

Which group do you feel more aligned with? To be honest, I am probably closer to being in the second group. I don’t want attention or encouragement necessarily, but my personality probably doesn’t refresh others. I am an introvert and do not bring a lot of energy to a group of people. That is not to say that I wouldn’t prefer to be in the first group. I Corinthians 16:18 says, “for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Give recognition to such men.” I am asking God to help me be a refresher to the spirit of others.

I don’t spend a lot of time looking at myself in a mirror. Generally I like to see better looking objects. Sometimes I even forget what I look like, thinking I still have the appearance of a much younger man. I also tend to forget how old I am when I begin to do something strenuous. My mind seems to have stayed behind while I got old.

Fortunately, God has given a wonderful promise to us more mature folks. I Corinthians 15:40-44 says, “There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. “

New bodies await all who believe in Jesus for their salvation. These resurrected bodies are powerful, glorious, and imperishable. In other words, our resurrected bodies are remarkably better than we see in the mirror.