Is Retirement "Biblical?"

“Retirement kills more people than hard work ever did.” - Malcolm Forbes

Some people live for weekends and dream of retirement. The former publisher of Forbes magazine lived the opposite view. He kept busy enjoying the perquisites that came from growing his company and reaching the pinnacle in his industry. His work gave his life meaning, entertained him, and provided him with the ability to foster relationships with great leaders and cultural icons.

I’ve heard many people say that retirement “is not Biblical” and therefore it’s not something to which Christians should aspire. What does the Bible say about “retirement?” Given that the whole notion of retirement is essentially a twentieth century invention, it is pretty easy to assume that The Good Book doesn’t say much, just like the Bible doesn’t weigh in on the whole Microsoft versus Apple operating systems debate. But that’s not true at all.

“Retirement” is a state of wealth. And we all know that the Bible has a lot to say about money.

Retirement Walk is designed to be the first of a trilogy of short books about a Christian perspective on retirement. Is it good? Is it a modern, evil notion? Don’t expect a definitive answer because, like many other issues we take to God for daily direction, different people will get unique answers. What Jesus tells you next week may not be the same answer you’ll receive from Him today. The answers to these questions are more nuanced than we would like. If you let the Holy Spirit guide your path, your journey will likely be both exhilarating and fruitful.

But, hey – if it were easy, I could just design a Successories poster and be done with it.