Another extreme approach, in addition to those we saw yesterday, is to see work as something to avoid at all costs.  It’s not a new sentiment – many have seen work as a necessary evil in history.  The Greek Philosopher Aristotle saw the ability to live without having to work as a primary qualification for a worthwhile life.

Some try to work themselves as hard as possible to get to retirement, financial independence, partner, or some other goal as quickly as possible.  Unfortunately, life is seldom forgiving of such imbalance.  I once met a recently retired school bus driver.  He’d worked hard at a number of difficult jobs in his life, and had just retired to live the good life.  Unfortunately he discovered at the same time that his health was failing, and he was going blind and deaf in the process.

He’d worked himself so hard, thinking the promised land was coming, ignoring his children and grandchildren by his own admission.  All that time, he didn’t notice he was supposed to live life and rest along the way, not just at the end.  No one ever promised or owed him a certain kind of retirement – yet he’d gambled his health and youth on just such a fantasy.

Work isn’t fulfilling, without work in balance.  Rest isn’t fulfilling, except in balance with work.

That isn’t to say there won’t be seasons of busy, hard work when rest is hard to find.  Starting a busyiness, residency, apprenticeship, times you need extra cash, all need hard work.  But we need to balance those times with seasons of rest, as well.  Don’t expect it will always come later.

For example, at one time a goal for early, luxurious retirement was a million in assets – but inflation means that a million isn’t worth what it used to be.  Look at Toronto real estate.  If that had been your goal, it quickly inflated out of reach.

Another example is retirement age – many people thought they just had to make it to age 65.  Now suddenly the normal retirement age is two years later, at age 67.  By the time I retire, who knows where it will be!  If that age was my goal, it only took an act of parliament to snatch it away.  Such numerical goals keep changing, and can’t be our true purpose in life.

Question: When will you know it’s time to retire?  How much will you need to save, what will you need to accomplish?  Will you ever retire?  

Acknowledgements: Tim Keller, Every Good Endeavour and Work & Rest

Ryan Sim - December 25, 2013

Wednesday - Change It - The Night That Changed You

It’s Christmas Day, so we’re simply going to read the Christmas story straight from the Bible. In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. (Luke 2:1-21 ESV) Question: Have a Merry Christmas! Reminder: We are reading the Bible in sync as one community - so check out today's reading at https://www.redeemthecommute.com/readingplan Reminder: The best way to grow spiritually this year is to join our Christianity 101 in the Cafe Course in Pickering starting January 22nd. Register for you and a friend today at https://www.redeemthecommute.com/events/!

From Series: The Night that Changed Everything | More Messages from Ryan Sim | Download Audio

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