Retirement

Perhaps France's greatest novelist, Victor Hugo, was right when he said, “no army can stop an idea whose time has come.” Socialist, liberal France is in the pangs of demonstrations and protesters, greatest since 1995, about raising the age for retirement from age 60 to age 62. As in Greece, where the people do not want to work either, most French always bragged about their early retirement when talking with them. My question was always, no matter who or where, why retire when you are perfectly able to work? Those who live the longest, those who are happiest, who contribute most to society, are those who continue to work long past retirement age.

Bankrupt America, looking everywhere for solving economic problems, will raise Americans retirement age to age 69. It was only with the advent of Social Security and other FDR sociological experimentation that the word “retirement” came into the lexicon. Until 1930, there was no such thing as retirement, people worked as long as they desired, the government did not interfere with their freedom about anything. Financially, some people have always been able to quit work early, work only when they want to. Like everything else Christian America, a matter of free will.

During WWII, many teachers both on the public school and college level came out of retirement to resume teaching, these were the greatest teachers I ever knew. When an old teacher or professor entered the room, you felt that a library was present. They had already forgotten more than most young teachers knew.

The greatest pastors and preachers in the world, kept busy in the pulpit until they were hauled away to die. The young ones might be able to talk faster, but old preachers and pastors were filled with knowledge and memory which the young ones could not approach. In professional schools, you always want age, not youth. I do not want a surgeon to cut on me, unless he is so old he can barely hold the scalpel, then I know he has been there before, he knows what he is doing. I'd rather have an old doctor with a stethoscope, then all the X-rays, MRIs and computer print-outs.

Government is responsible for the retirement craze, an enlistment sweetener for those filling military ranks, retirement, after 20 years service, with a “check for the rest of your life.” My first social function as a young army officer, a retirement party for a officer of field rank. He said, “just keep breathing, and you can retire too.” So it is with academia, so it is with civil service jobs. It is usually the second career, after military retirement, which is most rewarding, in the early years of civil service, government jobs were not that great. Now, government workers make an average of double that of the private sector. According to the Heritage Foundation, taxpayers would save $47 billion if federal workers were paid at the same rate as private sector employees.

A working man, a securities broker, who occasionally takes off an afternoon for golf, told me recently, “with the hundreds of golf courses in this area, it is almost impossible to get on one because of the early retirement of government workers, military sorts, preachers, teachers, bankers, and just about everyone who now retires when they are still capable of working.” He said, “I never knew there were so many retired preachers, don't they realize there are many souls out there, young and old, which they should be pursuing instead of a small, white ball. “ In the living of life, you store up a treasure trove of knowledge and memories, valuable beyond words to express, too often, because of the inflictions of disease, such knowledge goes to the grave too soon. But for those still in adequate health, such knowledge-experience should be available.

One wonderful lady I knew in my church, had worked in a large department store her entire life, she was one of their greatest business assets. It was time for her to retire, she did not particularly want to sit around home. The store owner said, “you keep coming to the store. You will get your retirement pay, plus. I want you there just to greet our customers. To give you expertise when it is needed. You are worth more in this business now, than ever before in your life.” At my own father's funeral, one of the several preachers said, “when he had his stroke and death, he was picking peaches off trees which he had planted.”

Now, as you get older, age takes its toll. If you have been resourceful and successful, you no longer have to meet schedules, routines, deadlines. Enjoy the luxury, afforded by age, but I believe everyone is better off to stay involved, to stay productive, to keep making contributions of time, talent, treasure to family, church, community. Hobbies are good, families are better, God's work is best, but it is only the busy mind that gives contentment.

A few years ago, I spoke at a large religious conference, one of the speakers said, “recently, I had the name taken off the face of my watch. Instead, 'the night cometh' (John 9:4)” The night cometh when our work time will be over.