If I could write about all the quotes I highlighted in this book, I'd basically be writing the whole book. There is so much information that, to me, is not necessarily new but has opened my eyes to Biblical perspective on "work." So, to simplify the first two chapters, here is a list of the top three quotes, which was incredibly hard to choose:
1) "As it turns out, our American theology of retirement has no real biblical basis, and it leads to despair and longing and a sense of abandonment on the part of those who have been set off in a corner of society and told to hush and just 'retire'" (11).
I've imagined myself getting older like all those whose minds tend to wander off, and honestly, I wasn't happy with what I pictured. I dread thinking of myself going into a nursing home and looking forward to bingo every Wednesday. I know what happens in a nursing home--my father was a maintenance worker and my mother was a nurse in an independent living facility--so I know what kind of life they can live. Although it may not look as bad, I hate the fact that they accept being put aside like that. Don't get me wrong, some nursing homes are nice but they are also expensive. Many enjoy retirement, but the majority struggle. Here is my point...
In Mexican culture, the grandparents tend to live with their families. Mexicans highly value family so their is no reason to send one's grandparents to a nursing home. It's a joy for the retired to watch their families grow and be among them often to see it. For Koreans, it's similar, but because the lack of room in apartment style houses, the grandparents tend to live alone. But as for American culture, I find it sad when I see the elderly speak of their children and yet their children don't bother to visit them. And surprisingly, aging as a Native American is an honor because for them, with age comes wisdom and they are respected in their tribes. Again, not everyone's retirement is like this, but Witherington makes a point.
2) "Western culture since the Reformation has put an ever-increasing emphasis on the individual..." (23).
Ah this is quite interesting. Could this type of culture hinder us from growing in a community? Well, Witherington continues to state, "Furthermore, in the process of individualization we lost contact with the biblical notion of collective personality--that is, how we get our true identity through the group we belong to, in this case, the body of Christ" (24). When we focus too much on ourselves, we forget the people around us. We forget why we were placed on this earth to begin with and it's not for comparing to see how many people we bring to Christ. Maybe this is why we are often caught being selfish.
3) "But whatever we do, we are to strive for excellence" (15).
I know as humans we are not perfect and will never be perfect as long as we are on this earth. However, as Christians, God did not put us on the earth to drink our lives away or work for hours on end. In addition, God gave us gifts, spiritual and earthly and it is our choice whether we want to strengthen them or not. Therefore, when God gave each and every one of us skills and talents, He didn't just throw a musical gift to some random person. No, God specifically gave Bach the gift to compose and Solomon the spiritual gift of wisdom. So then what are we doing? Although we may not be good at everything, in everything we must try our best. Whether I am horrible at science, I have to do my best. Why? Because life is short. That whole YOLO thing in some ways has potential but only in the meaningful things in life, not purposely driving a car into a pool of water.
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