Yesterday Kobe Bryant announced he would retire at the end of this season. David Ortiz said he would play for the Boston Red Sox one more year. We watched Sunday Night Football as the Broncos defeated the Patriots in overtime without Peyton Manning. Manning says he wants to play another year but his health may not allow that.
Sports is an arena for the young, strong, healthy. The person who can compete at a high level for a long time is an anomaly. Most of us never compete past the age of 18. Some sports allow participants to be ultra-competitive longer into life. It's not unusual for a 40 year old golfer to win championships but there aren't many at that age playing baseball, football, or basketball.
The physical nature of sports takes its toll on a body and there is nothing you can do about it. Except retire. So Kobe and Big Papi will run one more lap through their leagues. Peyton may make a comeback but even as amazing as he is it will be unlikely he will return to championship form.
We could list names from all walks of life that we've watched move into and out of the highest levels of success in their fields. One thing remains the same: time marches on.
As a Christian minister I see the same thing happen in churches. Whether it's the stress of serving or the glamour of retiring, each year another person steps away from teaching or serving or leading. "I've done it long enough. It's time for someone younger to take over."
I wonder what Paul (in the Bible) would say about that. His own journey tells me he would not accept the resignation of anybody. As a young man he was a zealous persecutor of the young Christian movement. After conversion he redirected his zeal toward evangelism. He pressed into new regions of the world taking the gospel of Jesus Christ to unreached people.
As the pressure against him ratcheted up, he didn't quit. Arrested, chased out of town, beaten, left for dead... Nothing stopped him from sharing Jesus with others. Nothing stopped him from teaching the truths of scripture. Nothing stopped him from mentoring young men to become leaders.
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." These are some of the last word Paul wrote. Many of his letters to Christians are part of the New Testament. This letter to Timothy came from a prison cell. Paul would not live much longer but he served until the end.
You may not be able to serve int he same capacity you did when you were younger. You may be considering stepping aside and letting the younger folk take over. I want to encourage you to still be actively involved in ministry. No matter your age or physical ability, you can do something for the church.
Mrs. Margaret was a great example of this. She was elderly and couldn't attend church very often but she still found a way to serve. Every Saturday she would call every family in the church (it was a small church) and ask what their prayer needs were and remind them to come to church the next day. Then she would report her findings. When Mrs. Margaret could attend she would hand me a piece of paper with all the names listed along with their prayer needs and why they would miss church if they were not coming.
Imagine getting a phone call every week from someone asking how they can pray for you. I believe that would transform many churches. I believe that would transform many Christians. And it happened in this church because one woman didn't retire.
You are not an athlete with a multi-million dollar contract. You are worth much more than that. You may not be able to do what you used to do but you can do something. Fight the good fight. Finish the race. Keep the faith.
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