Jesus Can Reframe Your Career . . . and Your Retirement

Scripture — Mark 1:16-20 (NRSV)

As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, “Follow me and I will make you fish for people.” And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.

Devotion

Last week, we considered the question: If I follow Jesus, should I quit my job? The answer I offered was: Perhaps, but not usually. Yes, there are times when the Lord calls us to leave one job for another. But, for the most part, the call of Jesus doesn’t require us to leave our jobs. Rather, it encourages us to see them in a new light. In fact, following Jesus reframes our careers in light of our fundamental vocation. Let me explain what I mean.

Consider the case of Simon and Andrew. They had a career. They were fishermen. Then Jesus came along and called them to follow him. Following Jesus was their true calling, their fundamental vocation. (The words “calling” and “vocation” have basically the same meaning.) In light of this basic calling, Simon and Andrew would work in a new way. According to Jesus, they would be fishing for people, not fish. Yet, in a way, they would continue in the same career track—namely, fishing.

The Theology of Work commentary on this passage observes, “Jesus does not reject the earthly vocation of these men but reorients it. Jesus calls Simon and Andrew to be ‘fishers of people’ (Mark 1:17), thereby affirming their former work as an image of the new role to which he is calling them.”

Of course, our situations aren’t exactly the same as that of Simon and Andrew. Nevertheless, I believe our response to the call of Jesus can analogously reframe our careers. Suppose, for example, you’re a business executive. You may have been operating with the assumption that your chief responsibility in your job is to maximize profit for the owner(s) of the business (perhaps the stockholders or maybe even yourself if you’re the owner). Then, as you respond to the call of Jesus and his proclamation of the kingdom, you realize that your job is about much more than merely maximizing profit. It’s about providing good work for employees and good products for customers. In this way, your work is a way for you to love your neighbors. Even more broadly, it’s about contributing to the flourishing of society. It’s about glorifying God in everything you do at work as you seek to live each day under God’s reign.

I realize that what I’ve just written can sound pretty simplistic. But I know dozens of workers in a wide range of careers who, in more nuanced ways, are discovering how their careers can be reframed by Jesus. They are still “fishing,” but now they are “fishing” for the Lord.

I should add that what I’ve said about work and career could also be said about retirement. Even if you’ve retired from full-time work and left your career behind, following Jesus can still give you a completely different vision of your life in retirement. Yes, you’ll have more freedom. Yes, you can play more golf or pickleball. Yes, you can spend more time with your grandchildren. Yes, you can enjoy a new hobby or two. And yes, you can travel more than you used to. But if you’re a disciple of Jesus, you haven’t retired from following him. The call of Jesus doesn’t end when you retire. In fact, you may very well have greater freedom and opportunity to love both God and your neighbor in new ways when you aren’t “punching the clock” at work. When you are a follower of Jesus, retirement isn’t just a time for you to enjoy life more. It’s also a time to rediscover the joy of serving God and others with the gifts God has entrusted to you.

Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project’s online commentary. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: Mark 1:16–20. Fishing for People .