They shall still bear fruit in old age;
They shall be fresh and flourishing.
—PSALM 92:14 NKJV
The measure of a life is not its duration but its donation.
—CORRIE TEN BOOM
In old age . . . blossom at the end like a night-blooming cereus.”1 This statement was written by a missionary to India, the late Dr. E. Stanley Jones, native of Baltimore, Maryland. He made a profound impact on all those around him because of his extraordinary faith and service to others. Later in life his work was acknowledged by Franklin D. Roosevelt and Mahatma Gandhi. In spite of a stroke at age eighty-seven that disabled him and impaired his speech, he dictated his last book, The Divine Yes,2 and addressed a world congress in Jerusalem from his wheelchair shortly before he died in his beloved India.
The night-blooming cereus (a family of flowering cacti) that he spoke of brings a beauty to the desert when it opens up at nightfall. Some say these plants produce fruit large enough for people to consume. Dr. Jones certainly knew something about blossoming in the nighttime of life and producing fruit in plenty; consider all those he touched along his way. His is a worthy testimony of living a meaningful life during the journey to eternal life. Do we, the older generation, do the same? Are we producing fruit that replenishes others, or do we complain about our circumstances and drain others who look forward to living full lives? By our attitudes, do we make the younger dread the inevitable—growing old? Many elderly people, without realizing it, taint the purpose God has for them: to impact the younger generations by exemplifying reliance on Him and hope in His unchanging promises. We should be content, for Jesus has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5 NKJV).
WISDOM FOR THE OLD
As we grow older, it is easy to feel that there is nothing else to conquer, so some retreat to the golf cart or the rocking chair. Some say, “I’ve seen it all.” Others brag, “We’ve been there and done that!” The truth is that we gain new experiences until we die. I can assure you that my wife, Ruth, experienced many things in her last days on earth. She experienced God’s peace that He promised. There may be common experiences shared by those who grow old, but every individual has unique circumstances. Some are widowed; others have disinterested children. Some care for an invalid spouse; some grow old together. Someone said, “If I’d known I was going to live this long, I’d have taken better care of myself!” About the only thing that comes to us without effort is old age.
But old age does not exempt us from fulfilling our purposes in life. The psalmist entreated the Lord for blessing on a most noble task when he asked,
When I am old and grayheaded,
O God, do not forsake me,
Until I declare Your strength to this generation.
(Psalm 71:18 NKJV)
We find multiple examples throughout Scripture, from the patriarchs and prophets of the Old Testament to the apostles and followers of Christ in the New Testament, of men and women who made a profound impact on generations that followed. And today, their words live on.
In the day that Israel was experiencing economic ruin, the prophet Joel declared,
Hear this, you elders, and give ear . . .
Has anything like this happened in your days,
Or even in the days of your fathers?
Tell your children about it,
Let your children tell their children,
And their children another generation. (Joel 1:2–3 NKJV)
The prophet is reminding the experienced, older generation to recall times past when they had gone through similar calamities and how, when they turned back to God, He faithfully restored them. Today as we witness a threatened economy taking its toll on our national lifestyle, how often do the elderly gather the young to teach them what they learned during similar times? Some say, “There’s a huge gap between our generation and the next. The younger believe our problems have passed us by; that we have nothing more to offer.”
We cannot make others heed what we say, but we can and should speak out for the truth and pray that the Lord will open ears, minds, and hearts to what wisdom has to say. The Bible declares,
Remember the days of old,
Consider the years of many generations.
Ask your father, and he will show you;
Your elders, and they will tell you. (Deuteronomy 32:7 NKJV)
Scripture says that the man who finds wisdom is happy, and “length of days is in her right hand” (Proverbs 3:13, 16 NKJV). This is not to say that the older generation has all the answers—we do not. Our responsibility as believers in Christ is to proclaim the wisdom of His Word. God has taught every generation, through blight or blessing, to look to Him as the source of all things. The greatest remedy to any challenge, including the generation gap, comes from the Word of God because when the Word of God is proclaimed, God Himself blesses it.
The Bible instructs the young to honor the presence of an old man and to revere God (Leviticus 19:32), but do the elderly demonstrate such reverence before the Lord? Are we examples for the young?
The apostle Paul wrote as an aged man, “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful” (1 Timothy 1:12 NKJV). Then he advised Timothy, “Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity . . . that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you” (1 Timothy 4:12, 15–16 NKJV). Paul acknowledged that God had equipped him to speak these words of wisdom to this young man. Many today are declaring that Christianity should not be complicated by doctrine, and young people are embracing this belief while many from the older generations sit in silence. We should just as boldly as Paul advise those younger than us: “Hear, my children, the instruction of a father . . . for I give you good doctrine” (Proverbs 4:1–2 NKJV).
With careful instructions Paul also counseled his spiritual son to advise his elders in the faith, to grab hold of scriptural doctrines and teach them to the young and old. Here is a wonderful picture of God’s truth impacting one generation to another. The aged can learn from the young too. This is God’s wisdom; this is His master plan.
To all who read this book, my prayer is that you will sense God encouraging you to impact those around you, regardless of age. Look for the Lord’s purpose in every circumstance and in every face or voice you encounter daily, for the time He has given you is not without purpose. Prepare for each day by asking the Lord to open your eyes to what is going on around you. You may feel lonely, but perhaps the Lord will use your smile to draw someone else close to you. You may experience pain, but the Lord may use your resolve to strengthen another who doesn’t have the will to go on. We can reject the opportunity to be used of God, or we can seize opportunities to impact others as a testimony to Him.
PAIN: A TOOL, NOT AN EXCUSE
While writing this book, I had the great privilege to visit with Louis Zamperini, a World War II veteran who spent two and a half years as a POW in a Japanese prison camp. At ninety-four years old, he traveled from his home in California to Charlotte, North Carolina, where he graciously appeared at the Billy Graham Library. For several hours he shook people’s hands and autographed copies of the book Unbroken, his life’s story.3 The following day, he rode two hours to my home, where we had lunch together. It had been many years since we had visited. Louis patiently answered my questions as I asked him to relay his experiences that led up to his conversion.
When Louis was rescued in 1945 and was welcomed home as a war hero, he enjoyed short-lived celebrity, followed by hard times. Humanly speaking, he had reason to be bitter and cynical. His wife, though, persuaded him to attend our 1949 crusade in Los Angeles where we conducted evangelistic meetings and preached the Gospel for six straight weeks. When Louis returned the second night, instead of slipping out early as he had planned to do when the invitation was given, he said that the Holy Spirit gripped his heart, and he walked the aisle into a prayer room where he repented of his sin, giving his life wholly to the Lord Jesus Christ.
“Billy,” he told me during our visit, “within a matter of moments my life was changed forever. Since that night I have never had another nightmare about my captivity. The Lord radically transformed me.”
What happened in Louis’s life following his conversion is a thrilling story. While I had to coax him to tell me all he has done since then, he gave glory to the Lord for using him, even now at ninety-four. Louis is one of those night-blooming cereuses. Still serving the Lord, he is investing the fruit of his experience in the lives of others, some who are his own age but more who are children hearing his amazing story as the historical accounts of his capture and rescue are being taught in public schools. Louis’s testimony and the Word of God are impacting all generations with the spirit of hope, for as the Bible says, “Your word is my source of hope” (Psalm 119:114 NLT).
I wish everyone had the opportunity to sit and talk with someone like Louis Zamperini. He is an inspiration. It is true that not everyone has a story like Louis’s to tell, and aren’t we glad? When Louis was in captivity as a prisoner of war, he doubted that he would ever reach retirement age. He experienced the challenges of old age due to brutal treatment and lack of nourishment; his body began to break down. Most of us never experienced that at twenty-eight years of age.
For anyone experiencing aches and pains, think of Louis and others like him who endured unbearable suffering in their service to our country. Think of the apostles and other early Christians who were burned at stakes or beheaded because of their allegiance to Jesus Christ. As they did, find a way to use your uncomfortable situation to point others to Him. Then remember the Lord Jesus who came and took upon Himself our guilt and shame to free us from the captivity of sin. What a privilege we have to remind one another that we are blessed in so many ways and that we have the Lord Jesus to comfort us in whatever circumstances we must endure. Some of us may be bedridden or confined to a wheelchair, but we still have important work to do.
There is not enough room in this book to record the stories I have received from people who have graciously supported my ministry, some for sixty years. I have learned so much from them as I recall their commitments to pray for the work of the Lord. A young lady once mentioned that her disabled grandmother prayed for our crusade team until she died. She had written our names in her Bible. This is humbling. It is also convicting. What lessons there are to be learned from this faithful saint. God forbid that we should ever retire from prayer, the sweetest work of the soul.
RETIREMENT: THE TWO PATHS
For those who are retired and still in good health, there are many opportunities for service. We should always be expecting the Lord to reveal His plans for us. Just because we are retired does not mean our work is done. Retirement provides us the opportunity to spend more time doing God’s work, serving others in the name of the Lord.
So many people come to mind when I think of those who have retired for various reasons. One of those is my friend Mel Cheatham, one of the most respected neurosurgeons in the world. He had one of the busiest private practices in California while also holding a prestigious appointment as clinical professor of neurosurgery at UCLA. Highly respected by his peers, he developed new surgical procedures, wrote extensively for various medical journals, and was elected head of his specialty’s state professional association. But then, at the peak of his career, he stepped away from his work and took early retirement.
“In the eyes of most of my colleagues, I’m completely retired,” he told me several years after resigning his positions, “but in reality I’ve never been busier. What they don’t understand is that I retired solely because I felt God was calling me to use my experience in a new way, which is what I’ve done. And these have been the most exciting years of my life.” Now he travels all over the world advising hospitals and clinics in less-developed countries on how they can meet the medical needs of their people more effectively. He also writes regularly, using his postretirement experiences to urge doctors and other medical personnel to volunteer their services to those in need. Much of his work is carried on through Samaritan’s Purse.
Far different is the story I heard some years ago about another man. An astute businessman with an impressive record of success, he was hired by a large but languishing company to become its president while in his early fifties. Within a few years he had turned the business around, not only reversing its fortunes but overseeing its expansion into a number of other countries. Stories of his success as an executive appeared regularly in business journals, and his advice on economic matters was eagerly sought by business groups and government agencies. In accordance with his company’s rules, he retired at age sixty-eight, staying on for a brief time as an advisor to the company’s new president but otherwise no longer involved in its affairs.
“I was totally unprepared for retirement,” he confessed later. “I’d been too busy to bother with any hobbies other than the occasional round of golf, which was always business related anyway. The company had been my life, but after I drove away from the office for the last time, they didn’t even call me. We moved, and for a year or so I kept myself occupied building our dream home, but once it was finished I didn’t know what to do next. Now I play golf almost every day, not because I particularly love it but because I can’t think of anything else to do. My wife says I’m depressed, but she doesn’t understand how useless I feel. I hate being retired.”
Admittedly you may not be a highly skilled neurosurgeon or a major corporate executive; very few of us are. But the contrast between these two individuals points to a very important lesson we all need to learn about our retirement years: the best time to prepare for them is before they happen. Beyond that, however, is an even more important lesson: No matter who we are, retirement presents us with two choices. Either we can use it to indulge ourselves, or we can use it to make an impact on the lives of others. In other words, the choice we face is between empty self-indulgence and meaningful activity.
Take the retired business executive I profiled previously. I strongly suspect that at least a dozen nonprofit social service agencies in his community could have used his business expertise to help themselves become more effective. They would have loved to have him volunteer to assist them—but he never did.
DETERMINING THE GOAL
Does this mean it is wrong to relax and enjoy life during our retirement years? No, not at all; to say this would be to say that God doesn’t want us to ever enjoy the good things He gives us—which isn’t true. The writer of Ecclesiastes said, “However many years a man may live, let him enjoy them all” (11:8). The apostle Paul repeated the Old Testament’s command for children to honor their parents, so that “you may enjoy long life on the earth” (Ephesians 6:3). God knows that we need rest and exercise and relaxation; after a grueling period of ministry, Jesus urged His disciples to “come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest” (Mark 6:31).
But if this is all we do—if our only goals during our retirement years are to enjoy life and have as good a time as possible—then we may well have fallen into the trap of empty, meaningless activity. More than that, we have forgotten one of the Bible’s central truths: every day—without exception—is a gift from God, entrusted to us to use for His glory. This is true for your working years, and it is equally true for your retirement.
What, then, is the key to a successful retirement? See your retirement as a gift from God. Retirement isn’t something that just happens if you live long enough, and it isn’t even a reward for your years of hard work; it is a gift from God. Once you understand this, you will approach your retirement differently.
God gave these years to us—however few or many they turn out to be—so we could do His will. Paul’s admonition applies to every believer: “And he [Christ] died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again” (2 Corinthians 5:15). But in another sense God’s will is specific and individual. His plan for your retirement isn’t the same as it is for someone else’s. Remember: He knows all about you. He knows what you can and can’t do; He knows your gifts and abilities, which, after all, come from Him; He also knows what opportunities you have to serve Him. In addition, He knows your needs and limitations at this stage of your life, and He wants to help you cope with them.
Therefore, the questions we each must face are these: Will we seek God’s plan for our retirement years? Or will we drift aimlessly along, assuming our usefulness is over and spending the rest of our days trying to squeeze as much enjoyment as we can out of life? Admittedly His plan for us may change as the years pass and our circumstances change, but no matter how far along we are on life’s road, our constant goal should be seeking God’s direction for what lies ahead. Remember: His way is always, always best.
Perhaps you are considering retirement; perhaps you have been retired for some years. Whatever your situation, seek God’s will for your future. Pray about it, seek wisdom from others, search God’s Word for direction, and trust Him to guide you. His will for you during retirement may not differ greatly from what you have envisioned—or it may take you in new and unexpected directions. But whatever the outcome, make God’s will your priority for your retirement years. Then you’ll be able to look back over your life and say with King David, “My share in life has been pleasant; my part has been beautiful” (Psalm 16:6 NCV).
ENDURING THE UNEXPECTED
Have you ever heard the saying that when one door closes, another opens? There is much truth in this. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association has a chaplaincy program called the Rapid Response Team (RRT). While we have always worked with Christian chaplains around the world, a great need arose in the wake of 9/11. My son Franklin had flown to New York to see how Samaritan’s Purse could provide assistance. The greatest need he identified was for chaplains. People devastated by the cataclysmic attack were roaming the streets that had once surrounded the Twin Towers. Some sobbed; some stared up into the sky in a stupor; others walked aimlessly along holding signs with names and pictures of loved ones and friends still missing. They all had something in common: they looked lost.
Ground Zero was not an easy place to access, but Franklin began calling pastors and Bible students, asking them to come and provide spiritual help. We were overwhelmed by the response from people who had the skills and hearts for such work. Franklin had the vision to assemble and train battalions of chaplains who would be willing to go, at a moment’s notice, to areas of the nation or the world where disaster struck. Today, many of these volunteers are retirees—men and women who want to reach out to those in need, open the Bible, and share with them that there is still hope through Jesus Christ, even in times of despair. Souls have been saved, and others, already believers, have been encouraged through spending time in prayer with these chaplains, receiving comfort that comes from above.
One man who had been a construction worker all of his life said, “I thought my life was over when I was forced to retire because of back trouble. I never dreamed that God would allow me to help people with greater problems than mine by going and praying with them and for them. When I walk through rubble left behind by a killer tornado, I remember years spent clearing debris from a construction site. Now I am able to help someone clear their mind by offering them insight from God’s Word. My life has never been so fulfilled.”
Volunteer service has become very popular in recent decades. Some companies even require employees to give so many hours a year to a volunteer agency. Better than that is when people do it because they truly have a desire to help others, not just fulfill a requirement.
Samaritan’s Purse has taken a tremendous lead in this area, offering opportunities to many from various walks of life. There are touching stories about physicians who leave their lucrative practices to help a missionary doctor for a few weeks in third world countries. Multiple thousands every year volunteer to send out shoe box gifts for children through Operation Christmas Child. One retired couple decided to spend November and December in North Carolina to work in the warehouse getting the boxes ready to ship overseas. They drove from the Midwest and stayed every night in their camper so they could be ready for work the next day. They said, “As long as God enables us, we want to use our days like this. We are receiving blessing beyond measure.”
Other retirees take advantage of learning more about the Bible in their years of retirement. An older lady attended a Bible study at the Cove and said, “I never felt equipped to talk to others about the Lord, but having the opportunity to meet others who feel the same way and being encouraged in the Scriptures have given me the courage to teach others. If I hadn’t retired, I would have never explored this opportunity.”
I would encourage you to pray and ask the Lord to show you what you can do as you transition your time and talents. Get involved in your local church and other ministries that point people to Christ. This will stretch you and challenge you to grow deeper in your own faith. Take to heart what Peter wrote near the end of his life: “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). In doing so, you help others do the same.
Whatever you do, keep your mind and your body occupied; don’t give laziness or boredom a chance to take root in your soul. The devil delights in someone who is idle or bored; he knows this leads to temptation or discouragement. But the person who is occupied with worthwhile activities is far less vulnerable. Remember the Bible’s admonition: “Do not give the devil a foothold” (Ephesians 4:27).
WORKING WITH FEWER CHOICES
Perhaps, however, you are saying to yourself, “What you suggest may be fine for other people, but I don’t have any options. It’s all I can do to keep up with the problems I’m facing, and it’s not getting any better.” We never know what the future holds for us, but God does. This is why Jesus urged us not to be paralyzed by fear of the future but to trust our lives into God’s hands: “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? . . . But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:27, 33).
I often think of my father-in-law, Dr. L. Nelson Bell. For twenty-five years he and his wife, Virginia, served the people of China as medical missionaries. (My wife, Ruth, was born and grew up there.) He was one of the busiest people I ever knew—and also one of the most dedicated. One of my strongest memories of Dr. Bell was the way in which he cared for his wife after she suffered a series of debilitating strokes. She was confined to a wheelchair and required almost constant care. It would have been logical for Dr. Bell to move her out of their house and into a nursing home, but he refused. Instead he gave up almost all of his outside responsibilities and devoted himself to caring for his beloved Virginia. When someone asked him about his decision, he simply replied, “This is my calling now.”
One day you may not be able to do everything you once did or everything you would like to do. Instead of feeling guilty or frustrated or resentful, however, thank God that you can still do some things—and make it your goal to do them faithfully and do them well. Commit your time—and your whole self—to Jesus Christ, and seek to do His will no matter what comes your way.
NEARING HOME WITH HOPE
This principle is what Jesus was explaining to Peter shortly before He ascended to Heaven. The dialogue between Peter and his Lord is one of the most direct yet tender exchanges in the Gospels. Jesus asked Peter, “Do you truly love me?” Peter answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Take care of my sheep. . . . I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go” (John 21:16–18).
Jesus was predicting Peter’s death, which would occur some forty years later. Peter recalled the conversation when he wrote, “I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things” (2 Peter 1:13–15).
In the face of brutal death, this old and faithful follower of Jesus was doing what Christ commanded: care for others. While Peter was preparing to depart his earthly life, he did not back down in reminding others what they should remember long after he was gone. What were these things? Peter had just finished telling them: “Add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:5–8).
Peter did not wallow in self-pity but immersed himself in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, a phrase repeated multiple times in the eight short chapters of 1 and 2 Peter.
You may still be an active senior adult, or you may be riddled with aches and confined to bed, but you can still be a productive servant of Jesus Christ by filling your mind with the knowledge of Jesus Christ and, as Peter did, impacting those around you with hope: “In keeping with his [Christ’s] promise we are looking forward to a new heaven. . . . So then, dear friends, . . . grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:13, 14, 18).