Do Christians Ever Retire?

by Mike Schroder, Tipton, OK church of Christ

From The Reminder, February 20, 2011

Retired or retreaded...Growing older has its benefits as well as its own special temptations.  We look forward to retirement to do those special things, such as travel and enjoyable activities, which a job has kept from us.

There is a temptation to bring the same mindset into our service for our Lord.  We become like the man in Luke 12:16-21 who had done well and decided to retire, take it easy and passively walk through the rest of life.  Jesus called the man a “fool”.  Many older Christians, it seems, have retired when actually, perhaps, their need is really to be retreaded!  They have said, “We’ve given our years in teaching and have served in different ways, now it’s time to let the younger ones serve.”  It’s a noble gesture, but where does the Bible say we’ve reached our “quota” of service or our tenure of teaching?

Is there a retirement age in Christianity or does God just call us home?  Did He not give us gifts to be used in His service and a life which we have consecrated to Him?  Then we shall never retire!  We shall never stop serving, nor stop teaching for God has placed us in His body where He wants us and we will be used in the act of His work ‘until in death we do part!’

If we become tired, let us be retreaded.  Let’s put on new shoes, perhaps serving in a new ministry or with a new spirit in an old familiar service.

Everyone is essential in the building up of the body in love.