RETIREMENT 1

'Sacred cows make good hamburgers', someone observed !
Here I go then !

Sorry, but after many decades of reading the Scriptures, I have reached a rather surprising conclusion about what may be a 'sacred cow' to many .... namely that 'RETIREMENT' IS NOT A SCRIPTURAL PRINCIPLE !

Indeed, I perceive that retirement has been introduced in these 'last days' as a product of the western worlds system of capitalism and materialism, requiring in the workforce that older persons make way for the younger, supposedly to ensure the politicians dream of 'full employment'. With such 'retirement' people are labelled as 'old age beneficiaries' and become dependent principally on the Welfare State pension, albeit a miserly allowance on which to barely exist - some reward for a lifetime of tax contributions and levies !

On reflection, I have often heard and read of people, who having 'retired' at whatever age, have then died quite soon after.
Apparently, the sudden change of habits and decades of routine and mental and physical activity, the social stimulus of the work environment, the feeling of contribution and achievement and the personal satisfaction that a working life has brought, gives way to despondency, a focusing on ones own self and health problems (supposed or real) and personal issues etc, a feeling of isolation and worthlessness, which proves too much for some peoples metabolism !
What has virtually kept them going over the years, has been taken away, the transition has been too swift, the sudden change in activity, routine, motivation and lifestyle, without adaption skills, and the result is often crippling if not fatal.

But still others, emotionally and mentally better equipped - and usually financially better off - adapt better, and even become the 'golden oldies'.
Modern medicine and health awareness have of course increased life expectancy and longevity - at least in the developed western world - but not so in the poorer third world countries !

Modern emphasis has shifted from the QUALITY of life to the QUANTITY of life, or the number of years that we achieve here on earth. The focus has shifted from contentment in ones situation, to the amassing of wealth during our life span - they who die with the most financial assets supposedly wins 'the game of life' - the unspoken but real underlying aim is to be the richest person in the cemetery !

But back to Scripture and our opening statement.....

Immediately after Adam & Eves temptation and failure (or 'fall') in the garden of Eden, God Himself told Adam Genesis 3 : 19 that .... in the sweat of your brow (face) shall you eat bread, UNTIL YOU RETURN UNTO THE GROUND - in other words you will now have to work to sustain yourself until you die !
NO Retirement nor Pension Plan is mentioned by God here - No welfare state benefit at all ! It was family care and tribe / clan / whanau responsibility from the cradle to the grave.
At creation, God's original intentions of PLAN A for Adam & Eve, was a life of being caretakers and custodians of the planet. With their failure and rebellion this was changed FOREVER, and God now had to bring PLAN B into effect - redemption through sacrifice ! ( Initially ... animal sacrifice & LAW to Israel, later.... Jesus sacrifice and GRACE to the Gentiles / everyone )

From that moment on, the human race has occupied a fallen planet and a fallen world system. A world system that has basically allowed selfishness and materialism to develop, with it the curse of borrowing and debt, dominance of the masses by a few financiers and bankers, that have plundered and stripped the planet of its resources and wildlife, and replaced brotherhood with pyramid shaped political and hierarchical systems - all to our detriment - and with it, (in the developed Western culture at least) offered the placebo of 'retirement'.

The Patriarchs, and other Old Testament Men of God, were often noted as eventually being 'stricken with years' As their human frames weakened with age, and they were obviously less active and capable, they are still recorded as blessing those around them, and participating in family matters.
Pity us instead in the Western world, as Retirement Villages are constructed, where the aged are off-loaded to, with occasional visits from family and relatives to ease consciences - all very neat and tidy ! How much we could learn from the Maoris and their whanau concept, and other indigenous cultures in this regard, where the aged are revered, respected, listened to and even honoured, as a treasured part of the family instead of being regarded a nuisance and off-loaded.
Instead, a lifetimes wealth of experience and the accumulated wisdom of ones years, are often side-lined and discarded, for the following generation needing to re-learn them all over again. Occasionally we hear of those who appreciate the lifetimes experience of 'mature' people in industry, re-employing such as mentors or coaches.
Likewise, the women as 'mothers of Israel' - as St Paul encouraged 'the aged women ... to teach the young women ....' Titus 2 : 4

The Utopian dream picture is for retirement is be portrayed as that of ease, leisure, and total relaxation. In reality though, retirement becomes basically an absorption with ones own self, and ones own problems, and health issues. and how to fill in the hours and days. Retirement villages can be observed to become 'Gods waiting room'. When I asked one person how they spend their retirement time, they simply answered - doing 'crosswords'. Well - crosswords can be a brain and mind stimulus for sure, but a reason for living - pardon me? One of my relatives was even heard to say that she just sat in the front room and counted the cars that went past - and how many were red ones !

For those with the means to do so, there is always - travel, travel, and travel again.
And so the cruise ships and the tours are filled and flourishing !

Someone observed, that some tombstones should read 'Died at 55, buried at 85'

But throughout Scripture, I find no mention of retirement or a pension plan !

Jesus himself died at age 33, at the peak of his Manhood years
John the Baptist was beheaded by Herod at about the same age.
Most, if not all, of Jesus 12 disciples - now called the Apostles, were actually young active men and died unnatural deaths as martyrs (Judas excepted) with none of them even reaching retirement or old age. (Previously most Old Testament prophets died grizzly deaths at the hands of those they spoke to, and rebuked !)

The Apostle Paul, after extraordinary missionary adventures throughout Europe, ended his days in a rented house, preaching and teaching continually (from morning to evening !) to all his visitors Acts 28 : 23, 30, 31 - as an OPEN HOME example to us all, until his own martyrdom.
Paul had his 'apprentices' both Timothy and Titus, and though a single man naturally, he called them both his 'sons' in the faith, and whom he encouraged in the very last letter he wrote.
The Mentor system, or being a Coach, or having young Apprentices is Scriptural and well proven down through the ages !

So there is much for what we now call 'Grey Power', the aged, to do. To stay active as possible, to share their wisdom and pass on their hard-earned experience to the following generation, and to get involved in the community in whatever manner.
(For me - Bible-In-Schools, School Assemblies, and Prison visitation)

Sure, to do less, and to do it slower, at ones own pace, but is it is always more blessed to give than to receive Acts 20 : 35 and that applies for the retirement years as for any years previous. To give out, and to keep on giving, to keep sowing - to be a part of the answer to the worlds problems, .... and not just a part of the problem itself. To continue to be salt and light to a following generation.
OK, for those in manual work, there is necessary shift to another sphere, maybe supervision or mentoring, or to some variety of community work, or family assistance, or wherever there is a need locally.

In the game of rugby, the message from the referee to the forwards at breakdown maul play is 'Use it, or Lose it' And so with our giftings and talents comes the same message, and the same result - what we don't use will wither and die, and be lost to us.

My age is as nothing before you (God) Psalm 39 : 5

As your days, so shall your strength be. Deuteronomy 33 : 25

They will be like trees that stay healthy and fruitful, even when they are old.
Psalm 92 : 14 CEV

Grey hair is a glorious crown, worn by those, who have lived right.
Proverbs 16 : 31 CEV

Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died. His eyes were not dim nor his natural vigor diminished. Deuteronomy 34 :7

Caleb ….. behold, the Lord has kept me alive ….... and now, here I am this day, eighty-five years old. As yet I am as strong this day as on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in. Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day ….... It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said.” And Joshua blessed him, and gave Hebron to Caleb the son of Jephunneh as an inheritance. Joshua 14 : 10-12

As for me .... TIRED .... Yes          RE - TIRED ....... NO !

Another tip that I heard
DO YOUR GIVING WHILE YOU'RE LIVING
then YOU'LL BE KNOWING WHERE IT'S GOING !

again 'Sacred cows make good hamburgers'
and that's all that they are actually good for !