Our Job, Our Retirement, and Our God

I received wake-up call a while back in the form of an email newsletter from Dan Miller, author of the book 48 Days to the Work You Love. You can get the contents of the email yourself here.

Here are a few wake-up call bullet points from his newsletter for anyone who still thinks that working hard and being a good employee can lock in a comfortable retirement:

• Several months ago I saw a bright and personable commercial airline pilot. At 53 years old, he had been with United Airlines for 27 years. His salary was $200,000 plus, and he had calculated that with his retirement investments and his pension he would retire in high style in 3 more years. But then his investments took a big dive, United defaulted on their pension and his job future for even 3 years was in jeopardy.
• The status of most employee pension plans sits somewhere between threatened, and dead and gone.
• The end of the pension plan is coming quickly for most companies.
• IBM has converted its plan to a new system.
• Northwest Airlines will likely dump its pension in bankruptcy, following the lead of United and US Airways.
• Companies like Allstate insurance have “invited” all 6,200 agents to become independent contractors, losing health insurance and pension benefits.
• There is no way the federal Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation can back up these folding pension plans. The PBGC is already on the hook for $62.3 billion in expected pension payouts with only $39 billion in its accounts.
• Bottom Line: we are quickly moving to a nation of “free agents” where we will each be responsible for our income, benefits and retirement.
• General Motors is reeling in out-of-control benefit costs and may still go into bankruptcy.
• See yourself as a “free agent” no matter what your current employment status.

Granted, Dan Miller is a “free agent” who is making his living selling books (like many of us bloggers want to do) on personal finance and other resources of the “you had better be financially self reliant” genre.

However, I think he raises great secular points that have huge spiritual implications.

• We must live below our means and save for the future
• We should not place our faith in our employer or our government to take care of us.

Here are some pertinent quotes from the Bible:

Proverbs 22:3 (New International Version)

³ A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge,

but the simple keep going and suffer for it.

Proverbs 30:25 (New International Version)

²⁵ Ants are creatures of little strength,
yet they store up their food in the summer;

There are also other considerations:

• What do we do if we feel led to give generously from our limited financial resources?
• What if God has other plans for the financial blessings He has given me? Am I prepared to align my will with His?
• Am I so in debt that I could not afford to change careers, move to a new city, etc. in response to the leading of the Holy Spirit?

More financial wisdom from Christian financial counselor Larry Burkett:

Financial freedom includes an absence of worries over money, overdue bills, threats from collection agencies, or the panic of never having enough money. Beyond the actual handling of money, financial freedom also penetrates the spiritual dimensions of your life, bringing freedom from envy, greed, and jealousy.

..

As a financially free person, you are available to respond to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. When God shows you someone’s needs, you will have financial resources to help meet those needs. You can see how financial freedom enables you to fulfill God’s plan for your life.

..

A plan leading to financial freedom begins by transferring ownership of everything to God, including debts and financial mistakes. If Jesus forgives your spiritual sins, He will certainly forgive your financial mistakes and help you to proceed with the plan He has for your life.

Larry Burkett, How Much is Enough?

Many of us want to travel and experience "the good life" when retire. I heard someone give an alternative definition:

"Retirement is when you can serve God without taking a salary."

That puts a whole different perspective on it!

Copyright © 2005 by Philip Hartman - All Rights Reserved