Nearing Home by Billy Graham (best book club books for discussion txt) 📗

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).

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CONSIDER THE GOLDEN YEARS

Behold now, I am old, I do not know the day of my death.

—GENESIS 27:2 NKJV

Plan for the golden years. You may get to experience them.

—UNKNOWN

Golden years must have been coined by the young. It is doubtful that anyone over seventy would have described this phase of life with such a symbolic word. Perhaps a compassionate soul kindly slipped a g in front of the word old to ease the ache of reality. After all, the thought of gold brings many grand, but illusive, ideas to mind. “Invest in gold” is a popular advertisement seen on television today. “The golden rule” is encouraged by many but practiced by few, while those who actually demonstrate it also believe that “silence is golden.”

So why are the golden years attributed to the aged? Perhaps it’s because couples who are fortunate to reach their golden anniversary of fifty years are often seventy or older. I remember when Ruth and I celebrated our golden anniversary in 1993. She was quite proud that she could still slip into the wedding gown she had made as a young bride. I was just proud to still be standing beside her.

The Bible first mentions gold in its description of the lands surrounding Eden (Genesis 2:11–12). No metal in Scripture is mentioned more than gold, and God says it “is mine” (Haggai 2:8). Though it was highly valued, it was used abundantly: from cups to crowns, from shields to bells, from vessels to scepters, from altars to thrones, from door hinges to streets. The Bible speaks of choice gold, precious gold, fine gold, perfect gold, threads of gold, weights of gold, talents of gold, pure gold, dust of gold, cherubim of gold, and even mice of gold (1 Samuel 6:18 NASB). But gold wasn’t used just for divine purposes. Men also melted the precious metal to form idols, gods to their own liking. They unwisely valued gold more than God.

Scripture teaches that virtues such as wisdom, knowledge, reputation, and faith are valued more than gold:

I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,

And find out knowledge and discretion. . . .

Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom;

I am understanding, I have strength. . . .

And those who seek me diligently will find me.

Riches and honor are with me,

Enduring riches and righteousness.

My fruit is better than gold,

yes, than fine gold. (Proverbs 8:12, 14, 17–19 NKJV)

Here we see the Lord placing a higher value on the virtues of wisdom, knowledge, a good name, and faith. They are just a few of the many attributes of God, and He offers them to those who live for Him. “All the things one may desire cannot be compared with [wisdom]” (Proverbs 8:11 NKJV). In Proverbs 16:16 we are told that it is “much better to get wisdom than gold!” “There is gold and a multitude of rubies, but the lips of knowledge are a precious jewel” (Proverbs 20:15 NKJV).

A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches,

Loving favor rather than silver and gold.

The rich and the poor have this in common,

The LORD is the maker of them all. (Proverbs 22:1–2 NKJV)

Faith is more precious than gold (1 Peter 1:7).

PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE

You may be asking, “What does this have to do with planning for old age?” The things we value during the prime of life will follow us into the twilight years. If we wisely value faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, it will strengthen us as we age. If we cherish our families by giving them love and understanding, we will likely benefit from continued fellowship with them. When we practice the golden rule, loving others as ourselves, we please God.

Shortly before the economic downturn in 2008, a successful businessman in his forties proudly announced his stock earnings to the tune of several million dollars. “It’s been a thrill to see my dream come true,” he said. Sometime later, it was reported that his wife had left him and his teenage son, who had spent his lucrative allowances to buy alcohol and drugs, ended up in prison. Many invest wisely in business matters, but fail to invest time and interest in their most valued possessions: their spouses and children.

This is certainly not the case with all those who have successful careers, but the story should serve as a caution. There is a lot to think about at every stage of life. We try to teach our young people to plan for their futures by doing well in school and taking advantage of opportunities to build a strong foundation for adulthood. Parents work hard to provide college educations for their children. Couples try to make wise investments for future retirement. Even