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

sister, in the end none of those verbal wishes were fulfilled. It took many months (and much expense) to sort out his affairs, and it all could have been prevented if he’d only done what he had advised countless others to do over the years: prepare a comprehensive estate plan. Why he never got around to doing this or helping his family understand his financial situation, no one knows. Perhaps—like many—he couldn’t quite face the fact that he was getting older and that someday he would die.

Whether it is the question of making a will or one of a dozen other practical issues, growing older confronts us with a number of challenges. If we don’t take care of these necessary details, others will step in, possibly creating difficulty for those we have left behind. It is our duty to be responsible for handling matters that affect us individually long after we are gone.

Not every decision can be made in advance, of course; some practical issues can be dealt with only as they occur. No one can predict, for example, if a spouse is going to break a hip or retirement savings are going to shrink because of stock market reversals, much less plan in advance exactly how we will deal with either situation. But some issues can be decided in advance, and when that is the case, we need to take action. God does not want us to leave a legacy of resentment or conflict or confusion behind us, but this can easily happen if we neglect the practical issues that press upon us as we grow older. Remember that “a prudent man gives thought to his steps” (Proverbs 14:15), and “everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way” (1 Corinthians 14:40).

The older we get, the harder it becomes to deal with sensitive issues and important decisions that confront us. They may be too burdensome or complicated for us to sort out at that stage of our lives, or perhaps we would rather avoid potential conflicts and tensions that may arise with others. They also may trigger worrisome thoughts about the inevitable march of time or even make us question our own ability to make sound decisions as we grow older. In addition, the stress of an unexpected illness or the death of a spouse or some other crisis may preoccupy us so much that we are incapable of focusing on other issues. Many older people, doctors tell us, also battle with depression, and a common characteristic of someone who suffers from depression is an inability to make decisions. During trying times, I would encourage you to seek professional advice while considering several matters. My hope is that as you read through these pages you will be encouraged to follow through on them—both for you and those you love.

MASTERING YOUR MONEY

“I’ve never met an older person,” an attorney told a friend of mine recently, “who didn’t worry about their money and whether or not they’ll have enough to last them until the end of their days. Even people who have no reason to worry still do.”

Our society places too much emphasis on money, implying that financial achievement is the main measure of a person’s true success in life. But this is a false standard, and we must resist falling into the trap of thinking that money is everything. Jesus warned, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money” (Luke 16:13). Paul later advised his protégé, “People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:9–10).

Does this mean it is wrong to think about money or do careful financial planning for our latter years? No, of course not. Just make sure that money is your servant and not your master. Does it rule you, or do you rule it? No matter how little or how much you have in the way of financial resources, God has given them to you, and He wants you to be a faithful steward or trustee of them. See your money as a God-given responsibility, not as something you are free to use (or misuse) as you please.

This is especially important as we enter our retirement years because our income then will probably be less (even significantly less) than it has been. “We never bothered making out a budget,” someone said. “My wife and I both had good jobs, and we always had enough to do most anything we wanted to do. But suddenly I’ve realized it isn’t true anymore. For the first time in my life, I’m having to watch every penny. I wish I’d done it sooner.”

A retiree wrote, “One of the problems of retirement is that it gives you more time to read about the problems of retirement.” While the thought is humorous, it is also truthful. But instead of reading about the problems, we should take appropriate action to solve the problems.

What guidelines about money should we follow as we look toward our senior years? What problems do we need to think through, and what decisions should we make before they become a problem? Let me suggest three general guidelines.

Plan Realistically for Your Retirement

Numerous websites and other resources can help you calculate how much you will need to save in order to have a comfortable retirement—and yet far too many people never do this, and they end up setting aside very little. Sometimes it is not possible to save for retirement; I think of the letters I receive from single parents or unemployed people who simply cannot set aside anything.

But for those who can, saving money takes discipline. Take full advantage of your company’s retirement plan (if it has one),