DON'T BOTHER ME-I'M RETIRED!
A preacher once asked an older Christian woman to teach a children’s Bible class. She
seemed to be the perfect candidate for the position: she was well-versed in the Scriptures and had
an abundance of time on her hands. But she replied with those all-too-familiar words, “Don’t
bother me--I’m retired.” Now we may retire from secular work, but we must never retire from the
Lord’s work. There is a rest to come (Heb. 4:8-11) but we are not there yet. 1 Corinthians 15:
58 says we to be “stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as
ye know that your labor is not vain in the Lord.” The apostle Paul wrote “I am debtor both to
Greeks and to Barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish” (Rom. 1:14). His inspired
statement should be our attitude toward life. Titus 2:3-5 says, “that aged women likewise be
reverent in demeanor, not slanderers nor enslaved to much wine, teachers of that which is good;
that they may train the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sober-
minded, chaste, workers at home, kind, being in subjection to their own husbands, that the word
of God be not blasphemed.”
Let’s not waste our talents or our opportunities to work for the Lord (Matt. 25:14-30). Jesus
says that those who do so are “wicked and slothful servants” (Matt. 25:26). Let us learn to
wisely “redeem the time” (Eph. 3:16; Col. 4:5). The American Standard footnote says that the
phrase “redeem the time” literally means to “buy up the opportunity.” We should never seek to
retire from the Lord’s work. Paul once said (and so should we) “For whether we live, we live
unto the Lord; or whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are
the Lord’s” (Rom. 14:8). We certainly thank God for those who are exerting themselves to “...work the works of him
that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work” (John 9:4). One day
those who put forth such effort will hears these precious words, “Well done, good and faithful
servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things; enter thou
into the joy of thy lord” (Matt. 25:21, 23). They will also hear “...Come, ye blessed of my
Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matt. 25:34). I pray that we will all strive to enter into that eternal rest that awaits the faithful children of
God. May we never use the excuse, “I’m retired,” when it comes to the Lord’s work.
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: The man who is afraid of criticism will end up doing noth-
ing.
Have a great week!
Love ya,
Jesse
seemed to be the perfect candidate for the position: she was well-versed in the Scriptures and had
an abundance of time on her hands. But she replied with those all-too-familiar words, “Don’t
bother me--I’m retired.” Now we may retire from secular work, but we must never retire from the
Lord’s work. There is a rest to come (Heb. 4:8-11) but we are not there yet. 1 Corinthians 15:
58 says we to be “stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as
ye know that your labor is not vain in the Lord.” The apostle Paul wrote “I am debtor both to
Greeks and to Barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish” (Rom. 1:14). His inspired
statement should be our attitude toward life. Titus 2:3-5 says, “that aged women likewise be
reverent in demeanor, not slanderers nor enslaved to much wine, teachers of that which is good;
that they may train the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sober-
minded, chaste, workers at home, kind, being in subjection to their own husbands, that the word
of God be not blasphemed.”
Let’s not waste our talents or our opportunities to work for the Lord (Matt. 25:14-30). Jesus
says that those who do so are “wicked and slothful servants” (Matt. 25:26). Let us learn to
wisely “redeem the time” (Eph. 3:16; Col. 4:5). The American Standard footnote says that the
phrase “redeem the time” literally means to “buy up the opportunity.” We should never seek to
retire from the Lord’s work. Paul once said (and so should we) “For whether we live, we live
unto the Lord; or whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are
the Lord’s” (Rom. 14:8). We certainly thank God for those who are exerting themselves to “...work the works of him
that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work” (John 9:4). One day
those who put forth such effort will hears these precious words, “Well done, good and faithful
servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things; enter thou
into the joy of thy lord” (Matt. 25:21, 23). They will also hear “...Come, ye blessed of my
Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Matt. 25:34). I pray that we will all strive to enter into that eternal rest that awaits the faithful children of
God. May we never use the excuse, “I’m retired,” when it comes to the Lord’s work.
THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: The man who is afraid of criticism will end up doing noth-
ing.
Have a great week!
Love ya,
Jesse
Comments
Post a Comment