The Conviction to Lead: 25 Principles for Leadership That Matters

by R. Albert Mohler Jr.

In the years after World War II, Americans developed the idea that the good life meant having a fulfilling career followed by a lengthy retirement. The ideal of retirement seems to be a life of leisure and ease, occasionally interrupted by travel and entertainment. That is a fundamentally dangerous concept. In the first place, it is unprecedented in human history. The idea of a long period of unproductive leisure at the end of life is a modern invention, and it flies in the face of the Bible’s exhortation to meaningful work and service for the kingdom. This retirement ideal is also financially irresponsible, since improved health and the extension of life—good things in themselves—have lengthened the typical span of life after retirement by many years. This is not economically viable for a large population over the long term.