This morning after working out and then having breakfast with Linda, I was able to squeeze in half an hour to practice my bass. Last Friday at jazz band rehearsal we were given three new pieces to practice, two of which were pretty snappy tunes. I'm almost embarrassed to admit that "Jingle Bells" is taxing my digital dexterity. This isn't the Jingle Bells of ordinary Christmas caroling ilk; this is Jingle Bells on steroids. It doesn't dash through the snow; it blazes through it on a supercharged snowmobile. Whether I'll ever be an asset to the band is open speculation. In the meantime, I'm learning, getting better (it would be hard for me to get much worse!), and having fun doing it.
There is one problem I'm having with retirement: it still feels odd to not be going to work every day. This morning I was reading in 2 Thessalonians 3 where Paul talks about work. He didn't mince any words.
"For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone's food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate. For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat."
Scriptures such as these are maddeningly tempting. For anyone who has worked steadily through life, it's easy to interpret them as applying to people on welfare, those whose disabilities are not readily apparent, to the indigent and addicted, as well as to those who are just plain lazy; in other words, to anyone except myself. Reading them this morning, I saw these verses in a whole new light. God was aiming directly at me. What does this say about my retirement? Oh sure; I'm working...for me. But most everything I do now is pretty self-centered: home remodeling, bass lessons, riding my motorcycle, spending time with Linda, our kids and grandkids, and friends. In what way am I actually working to earn my way as St. Paul commands? I haven't figured all this out yet, but I did learn something; God has a way of doing an end-run around our defenses and blind spots, revealing our inconsistencies and prejudices and reminding us that passing judgment is always a dangerous habit, as is reading Scripture in order to apply it to someone else. I'm doing a bit of self-evaluation in light of Scripture. I'm grateful tonight that God continues to surprise me, even when he does so at my expense. Apparently my "work" is not over yet.
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