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Remember the country song, “I ain’t as good as I once was…” from Toby Keith?

I love talking with folks more seasoned in life than I. I love hearing all they have accomplished and how they’re living life at this chapter in their story and how much harder they worked than most folks these days, and how they’re glad those days are behind them because they don’t feel they’re as good as they once were.

Why do we often allow age to limits us? Numerous times throughout my years in ministry I’ve been told from folks who’ve been serving in church longer than I have been alive that they have done their time.

Why must we feel we can, or have to, retire?

Now, don’t get me wrong, I look forward to not having to clock in day after day. I can’t wait until I don’t have to do certain tasks in order to pay bills, have insurance coverage, invest in Social Security that’s not likely to pay out nearly what I have put in.

Retirement makes perfect, logical sense in certain aspects, but when it comes to working for the Lord and his church, should we ever feel we can retire? Should we have the mindset we have done our time? Truth is, you may not be as good as you once were, but you can still be as good as you ever were.

In Genesis 17, 100-year-old Abraham laughs when he is told he will be a father. In Genesis 18, his wife, Sarah, laughed, saying she was old and worn out, and so was her husband when she hears this news of becoming pregnant at 90 years old.

What does this tell you?

No, this isn’t a lesson on the importance of contraceptives no matter your age. It’s saying you are never too old to accomplish more, especially when it comes to serving the Lord.

Gabe Sonnier from Louisiana is now the principal at Port Barre Elementary in Port Barre, Louisiana where he used to be the janitor. At age 39 he listened to the principal of the school and began studying to better himself. He obtained his teaching degree, got his first teaching job, then his Master of Science and Education degree, and is now the principal of the school for which he used to be a janitor.

“Don’t let your situation that you’re in now define what you’re going to become later,” Sonnier said. “I always tell them it’s not where you start, it’s how you finish.”

Christians, finish strong. Never cease in working for the Lord. You may not be as good as you once were, but you’re still needed to be the good.