Saving for the Big Change
Scripture Reading — Philippians 4:10-20
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."
There is a Chinese saying, “Raise a son for your old age”—so that he can support you when you’re old. Not too many Chinese people would put their trust in this saying anymore though.
My mailboxes (both email and postal mail) used to be stuffed with credit card applications, but more recently they have overflowed with info about retirement investing: “Catch up before it is too late”; “Don’t rely on Social Security”; “You need at least a million dollars to retire”—and so on. Fear tactics are exploited to the maximum.
In the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-29), Jesus did commend the servant who invested wisely. Jesus also emphasized that we should plan ahead and count the cost (Luke 14:25-35). While these principles are mainly about serving him with all our heart, they can be helpful reminders about retirement too. On the other hand, Jesus also said we should not store up treasures on earth but rather store up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19-20).
What should we do as we face our future in retirement? Planning is good and wise, but the key is to be content and to seek first God’s kingdom, trusting that the Lord will provide everything we need, not only for life on earth but, more importantly, for life eternal (see Matthew 6:25-33; Philippians 4:11-13).
Heavenly Father, thank you for your provisions for this life and for the life to come. Help us to be content and willing to share with others in need. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
About the author — Jimmy Tai-On Lin
Rev. Jimmy Lin is the Chinese ministry leader of The Back to God Hour. With his staff in Palos Heights and Hong Kong, Rev. Lin has ministered to over 1.3 billion Chinese-speaking people around the world for 16 years through radio, literature, CD/DVD, Internet, and text message. His wife, Doris, is one of the translators of Today into the Chinese language, which now has a circulation of more than 45,000 copies.
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