Are you waiting for the Golden Years?
Mar/09/2010 08:30
On Saturday Angelina and I took our semi-regular walk down to a part of our larger neighborhood where there are several man-made lakes. When we take our walks during the week the lake area is usually silent and except for us and a few ducks, empty. However, because the sun was out with a blue sky and a gentle breeze the lake was buzzing with extra ducks and visitors. As we came around the bend we saw something we had never seen before, a group of older people all huddled at the shoreline. I couldn't quite make out what they were doing but they held something in their hands and they were all leaning out over the water intently staring at white floating things. At first I thought they were engaged in some weird duck ritual but as we got closer I discovered that they were racing miniature remote-controlled sail boats! The group was silent in concentration steering their racers through the course while a race announcer countdown played on a portable boombox behind them. No one said a word, the race was cut-throat until the man on the tape called “time.”
As we walked past it occurred to me how apt this event was in describing the American mindset of the “Golden Years.” Without casting aspersions upon our geriatric lake pirates I find it funny (or a little sad, depending on how you look at it) that for many people in the West that scene is the quintessential retirement life. If I was to take a poll, I wonder how many people would agree that this is what life is all about? Work hard, sacrifice, scrimp, save, play it safe, all until one day when your only care in the world is protecting your sail racer championship title near your little house on the man-made lake.
Reading Luke 12:13-21 I don’t get the impression that living life and storing up a fat chunk of change for the golden years is God’s design for our lives. Yet (I’ve posted this before) Francis Chan’s “Balance Beam” describes the mentality of many, many Christians.
Count me among those who will not give up, will not give in, and will not retire until God takes me home or Jesus returns. I was never promised ease or comfort in this life nor was I promised an easy retirement in my Golden Years. My Golden Years will come when this physical body lies 6 feet under and I rest with Jesus on the streets of gold for eternity. Until then there is an adventure to live, a wife to love, a church to minister to, a people to save, a King to be glorified, and a hurting world to serve. What about you?
As we walked past it occurred to me how apt this event was in describing the American mindset of the “Golden Years.” Without casting aspersions upon our geriatric lake pirates I find it funny (or a little sad, depending on how you look at it) that for many people in the West that scene is the quintessential retirement life. If I was to take a poll, I wonder how many people would agree that this is what life is all about? Work hard, sacrifice, scrimp, save, play it safe, all until one day when your only care in the world is protecting your sail racer championship title near your little house on the man-made lake.
Reading Luke 12:13-21 I don’t get the impression that living life and storing up a fat chunk of change for the golden years is God’s design for our lives. Yet (I’ve posted this before) Francis Chan’s “Balance Beam” describes the mentality of many, many Christians.
- Are you really living or simply waiting for the Golden Years?
- Are you caught up in the adventure of living life with Jesus or working hard so that you can take it easy and retire?
- Are you running a hard race through the finish line or racing for the retirement payout to coast into your coffin?
Count me among those who will not give up, will not give in, and will not retire until God takes me home or Jesus returns. I was never promised ease or comfort in this life nor was I promised an easy retirement in my Golden Years. My Golden Years will come when this physical body lies 6 feet under and I rest with Jesus on the streets of gold for eternity. Until then there is an adventure to live, a wife to love, a church to minister to, a people to save, a King to be glorified, and a hurting world to serve. What about you?
0 Comments
