Christian Retirement Planning
[Workplace Interpersonal Relationship Series]
What does "retirement" mean?
Some people think that the word "retirement" does not exist in the Bible and think that we must work hard and die. In fact, the Bible has the following passage:
The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “When the Levites are fifty years old, they shall retire from their service and do no more work, but they shall serve in the tent of meeting with their brethren, observing their commandments, and shall do no more work. As for the Levites who were commanded, This is how you shall do to the strangers” (Numbers 8:23-26).
"Suspension of work and retirement" in English is "Retire". Therefore, some people change "Retire" to "Re-tire", thinking that it means "retiring without rest", retiring from the original position and just changing careers. Therefore, since you want to change tracks, you must use different tires to run on the new road ahead.
Of course, "Christian" is an identity that remains unchanged throughout life. After we are saved, we should faithfully follow the Lord until death and remain Christians throughout our lives. However, we should have retirement plans for our work positions in the workplace. We must cultivate the underachievers in a planned way and guide and train them carefully so that we can successfully hand over the baton to the next generation. This is the responsible attitude and part of a good and faithful steward. Just like Moses did to Joshua, train him, charge him, encourage him, and make him strong and courageous. (Deuteronomy 3:28) Just like Paul trained Timothy, he first led his son like a father, letting Timothy imitate his behavior, and teaching Timothy to continue passing on the faith; finally the two became serving together partner. (See 1 Timothy 1:2, 2 Timothy 2:2 and 3:10, Romans 16:21, etc.)
Work is God’s calling and God’s gift. When we are in office, we should do our best and enjoy the fun of work. But when the time comes, we must retreat bravely to give our successors the opportunity to build on the past and move forward to greater heights. "Metabolism, endless life" is the process of life growth and the driving force for social progress. The Bible says, “There is a season for everything, and a season for every purpose under heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2)
Why do we need to plan for retirement?
President Lincoln said: "Life is like an article. It doesn't matter the length, but the content." No matter how long we live, we must live a wonderful life. Moses, the man of God, said: "The days of our life are seventy years, and if we are strong we can be eighty years; but the boasts in them are only toil and sorrow, and they are gone in a blink of an eye, and we fly away. Please teach us. "How to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." (Psalm 90:10, 12) The Lord Jesus wants us to be alert and ready at all times, waiting for His coming, and to seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. . (Matthew 6:33) Therefore, we must examine God’s will, plan early, and make the most of our sojourn on earth.
Paul said, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness." (2 Timothy) 4:7) Do we have the same certainty? A good beginning is not as good as a good end. People are most afraid of a miserable life or an uncertain future. After turning fifty, there are not many days left, so we need to seize the opportunity and cherish the time; we must seriously think about what is the most valuable thing in eternity. In other words, the second half of life is more important than the first half. Like Paul, “Forget what is behind and reach forward to what is before, and press toward the goal.” (Philippians 3:13)
"The sunset is infinitely beautiful, but it's almost dusk." My family lives by the sea, and I often watch the sunset. The sky is full of sunset, and the afterglow is gorgeous and warm, but no longer dazzling. I often think about how to live a life that glorifies God and benefits others after retirement. How to make good use of time, money, and talents to help people in need? How to get closer to God, get along with others more wisely, and reveal the maturity and sophistication of life? As the Psalm says: “They will bear fruit even in their old age, they will be full of juice and green.” (Psalm 92:14)
How to plan for retirement?
I retired from the workforce in July 2013 and immediately joined the Board of Directors of the Christian Messengers Association to learn new ways of serving. Over the past five years, God has continued to open doors, giving me opportunities to participate in new ministries, meet new friends, and learn new things everywhere. I would like to summarize personal pre-retirement planning and post-retirement experience, and put forward some suggestions:
▲After retirement, you should exercise, pay attention to health, and live a simple and disciplined life, so that you can continue to run on the road to heaven, serve God and serve people.
1. Exercise, pay attention to health, and live a simple and disciplined life
Health affects the mind, body, soul, and willpower. Only with good health can we continue to run on the road to heaven, serve God, and serve people; without good health, we will be unable to do many things. If you want to be healthy, you must exercise and live a simple and disciplined life. Taking care of your physical, mental and spiritual health also glorifies God. Because the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, glorify God in the body. (1 Corinthians 6:15)
2. Guard your heart, pursue holiness, and practice godliness
As we get older, we need to be pure in heart, be holy, and live a godly life every day. Confucius said: "Even when you are old, your vitality has declined, and you need to be disciplined." ("The Analects of Confucius") The Bible also teaches: "Godliness coupled with a contented heart is a great gain." (1 Timothy 6) ) Many elderly people are deceived, often because they want to get rich quickly or for petty gain. Therefore, let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts in everything, and do not seek fame, exasperate one another, or envy one another. Proverbs 4:23 also says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for from it come the results of your life.”
3. Be diligent in learning, good at teaching, and willing to pass on
If you have more time after retirement, how can you use it effectively? There is no end to learning, live until you are old and learn until you are old. In today's society, we have many opportunities to learn. We can go to school or study online. Avoid aging; review the past and learn the new before you can teach others. It makes sense to pass on technical expertise and experience. We can join various fellowships nearby to serve; we can also join short-term mission teams, or go to pastoral or teaching places where there is need. Paul exhorted Timothy: “What you heard me teach in the presence of many witnesses, entrust it to faithful men who can teach others.” (2 Timothy 2:2)
In the past few years, I have used online video chats to spend one hour a day, five days a week, systematically studying the Bible with five young couples, discussing their family life and work, and providing my experience and insights. Although we are thousands of miles apart and have time differences, we meet online every week. I am very moved to see their hunger for justice, humility in asking for advice, and serious study. The joy of "having a close friend in the sea and being like a neighbor across the world" is truly indescribable. I asked them to use the same method to teach another couple, and asked the other couple to do the same. Hopefully there will be continuous chain replication. If God allows it, according to geometric progression, there will be 5,000 couples in ten years and 160,000 couples in 15 years.
4. Manage finances properly, contribute generously, and be charitable.
In addition to using your time and talents effectively, proper financial management is a necessary lesson. John Wesley: "Christians should work hard to make money, work hard to save money, and work hard to give."
Money is a great servant but the worst master. It is really pitiful for a person to be controlled by money and become a slave to money. How to get financial freedom? You must be diligent and frugal in your daily life, save in a planned way, and invest wisely. Be philanthropic and see your own responsibility in the needs of others.
It is necessary to prepare for a rainy day, plan early, make a will in advance, and explain clearly; it is best to set up a "living trust" to leave part of the inheritance to your children, and donate the rest generously to support the preaching of the gospel and the creation of disciples.
We must know that everything we have is given by God, and we must store up treasures in heaven. Never cause trouble to your children after you die. We have seen that after many rich people died, their children fought against each other in court and killed each other over property. It is really sad.
Lin Fengliang, served as Chairman and CEO of Payless Car Rental System Inc., one of the six largest car rental companies in the United States, from 1989 to 2013. Currently, he is a director of the Christian Messenger Association and is dedicated to the ministry of workplace missions and corporate transformation.