About ten years ago, the president of the Retired Methodist Pastors’ Association in Southern California called me. “When are you going to retire?” I replied, “Retire? I’m not even sixty yet!” He said, “We had a meeting today, and someone said that when you retire and move to California, we should make you our executive secretary. They said the retired pastors’ group would be a lot more fun if you were here.”
This coming Tuesday, I will be preaching at a gathering of retired Methodist pastors in the Northeast. When I was invited to preach, I declined and said, “I don’t need to preach. I’ll just come and treat everyone to a good meal.” “No,” he said. “Come and preach.” When I still hesitated, he said, “It’s not just about preaching. Come and encourage these retired pastors.” So, I replied, “Shouldn’t you retired pastors be encouraging me? I’m the one still struggling in active ministry. Ministry is hard these days.” Then he said, “All right. Then let’s encourage one another. Since COVID, only about one-third of us are left.” After hearing that, I could not say no.
I chose Psalm 92, especially the words, “They will still bear fruit in old age.” Since then, I have been thinking about what it really means to continue bearing fruit as we grow older. Interestingly, this Sunday I am preaching about Joshua in his old age. When Joshua grew old, God no longer called him primarily to lead Israel into battle. Instead, God entrusted him with the responsibility of fairly distributing among the people the inheritance God had given them.
Perhaps the fruit we bear in old age is different from the fruit we bear when we are young. It is no longer about gaining more, but about sharing what we have. It is no longer about running out in front, but about opening the way for those who come behind us. It is no longer about lifting ourselves up, but about helping others stand tall.
Next Sunday afternoon, our church will host a book celebration and mission seminar for Rev. Jong Sung Kim, former Asia-Pacific mission executive with the General Board of Global Ministries. His book is titled Participating in God’s Mission. While he was in the prime of his ministry, he was diagnosed with blood cancer. He eventually recovered but retired early. A few years ago, as his health improved, he began serving as a quarter-time preaching pastor in Pennsylvania. Then this year, he returned to full-time ministry. I asked him, “Why would you retire, and then go back to full-time ministry at the age when everyone else is retiring?” His answer was simple. “Because ministry makes me so happy.”
Perhaps because he has passed through a time when he came so close to death, he now finds even greater joy in being able to serve again.
As I grow older, my prayer is that God will give me the blessing of aging well—sharing more, encouraging more, and comforting others more.