Repurposed to Serve Not Retired to Be Served

Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – March 12, 2018

So here I [Caleb] am today, eighty-five years old! I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day. Joshua 14:11-12

Steve is an example of a friend I met at a leadership conference in 1994 who was able to ‘retire’ at age 54 and volunteer his time to help people manage their money wisely. A former orthodontist, he was as passionate about people straightening out their financial lives as he had been straightening teeth! For seven years we traveled the Southeast and beyond to train and coach leaders in how to facilitate small group Bible studies on money. My life is much richer today because of Steve’s ability to share common sense solutions to the life issues I faced as a 30 something year old. For me he is a model of how to keep serving the Kingdom after “retirement”.

With wholehearted devotion to the Lord, Caleb was a strong and fiery 85 year old who challenged Joshua to give him the land they both had discovered and explored as young men. Joshua granted his friend’s request and gave Caleb his inheritance. Instead of feeling sorry for himself or talking badly behind Joshua’s back, Caleb boldly confronted his long time friend with the truth of the Lord’s promise. His drive and motivation was based on his big vision of God. Caleb kept his devotion to the Lord fresh so he could stay energized in serving others for God.

“Then Joshua blessed Caleb son of Jephunneh and gave him Hebron as his inheritance. So Hebron has belonged to Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite ever since, because he followed the Lord, the God of Israel, wholeheartedly” (Joshua 14:13-14).

What mountain is Christ calling you to climb and conquer? Maybe a marriage mountain with its emotional switch backs, believing in each other’s best intentions and patiently working through differences. The empty nest season can be the most challenging and the most rewarding. The most challenging because of the need to truly understand each other and clearly communicate your needs and wants. The most rewarding since you should have additional margin with your calendar and cash. Also, prayerfully invest in other couples who can learn and be encouraged by your experiences, your ups and downs, and how you grew closer to each other and the Lord.

Moreover, enjoy the mountain views of life, as each new season opens an unseen vista of the beauty of God’s faithfulness and fruit from the orchard of your faithfulness. By God’s grace, age elevates your perspective to see and appreciate people and things you may have ignored or been unaware of in the past. Relish these second chance relational opportunities with your children or colleagues. Make sure to harness your calendar commitments to accomplish the most meaningful activities and avoid being controlled by your social agenda. Enjoy freedom’s fun, but not at the expense of helping others find freedom by faith in Jesus. Repurpose for relational investments!

“For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love” (Galatians 5:13, NLT).

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