Too Young to Quit

Mike Massey

Today while at the post office, apparently I was standing next to something of a celebrity.

Mike Massey is the 2000, 2002, and 2003 World Artistic Pool champion, the 2000 and 2001 Trick Shot Magic champion, and the 2003 WPA World Artistic Pool Jump Shots champion.  He began performing trick shots in 1975. A lot more about his career can be found here.

I didn’t know who he was, but the man working at the Post Office recognized him immediately. After a chat, Mr. Massey explained that he was just back from Egypt. For some reason, the worker (as if because the pool trick shot artist was in Pasadena , Maryland, he must no longer be playing) asked him if he was still playing pool.

I liked Mr. Massey’s answer. “Oh no, I am too young to quit.”

While Mr. Massey is blessed with work that he obviously enjoys, I still had to admire his attitude. It reminded me of a sermon I once heard where the preacher mentioned it was not Biblical to retire. I had to wonder, is retiring a Christian thing to do?

We do things all the time that is Biblical. We marry, we work hard, we have big parties when we do marry, we honor the scripture as it describes Christ’s birth, death, and resurrection, and we celebrate those events. (A whole other blog if HOW we do it is correct), but we, even non-Christians, follow a lot of Biblical principles.

Is retirement Christian? I had to think about it,  Abraham, Moses, King David, the prophets, the Disciples, Paul, and so on, seem to have kept going til the bitter end.

I found a site online that seemed to contradict the preacher I had heard,  I believe, on the radio:

Question: “What is the Christian view of retirement?”

Answer:As Christians approach retirement age, they often wonder what a Christian should do during the retirement years. Do Christians retire from Christian service when they retire from the workplace? How should a Christian view retirement?

1) Although there is no biblical principle that a person should retire from his work when he reaches a certain age, there is the example of the Levites and their work in the tabernacle. In Numbers 4, the Levite males are numbered for service in the tabernacle from ages 25-50 years old, and after age 50, they were to retire from regular service. They could continue to “assist their brothers” but could not continue to work (Numbers 8:24-26).

2) Even though we may retire from our vocations (even “full-time” Christian ministry), we should never retire from serving the Lord, although the way we serve Him may change. There is the example of two very old people in Luke 2:25-38 (Simeon and Anna) who continued to serve the Lord faithfully. Anna was an elderly widow who ministered in the temple daily with fasting and prayer. Titus 2 states that the older men and women are to teach, by example, younger men and women how to live.

3) One’s older years are not to be spent solely in the pursuit of pleasure. Paul says that the widow who lives for pleasure is dead while she yet lives (1 Timothy 5:6). Contrary to biblical instruction, many people equate retirement with “pursuit of pleasure” if at all possible. This is not to say that retirees cannot enjoy golf, social functions, or pleasurable pursuits. But these should not be the primary focus of one’s life at any age.

4) Second Corinthians 12:14 states that the parent ought to save up for the children. But by far the greatest thing to “save up” is one’s spiritual heritage, which can be passed on to children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Generations of descendants have been impacted by the faithful prayers of an elderly family patriarch or a matriarch. Prayer is perhaps the most fruitful ministry outlet for those who have retired.

The Christian never retires from Christ’s service; he only changes the address of his workplace. In summary, as one reaches “retirement age” (whatever that is) the vocation may change but one’s life work of serving the Lord does not change. Often it is these “senior saints” who, after a lifetime of walking with God, are able to convey the truths of God’s Word by relating how God has worked in their lives. The psalmist’s prayer should be our prayer as we age: “Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come.” (Psalm 71:18).

So if that is to be believed, retirement is ok, but there is a huge responsibility that goes along with it. I do believe we depend a lot on these Senior Saints. 🙂

So in some ways, it’s great to be “too young to quit.”