Luke 3:13 – And he said unto them, "Exact no more than that which is appointed you." (KJV)

Recently, I received a statement of my contributions to our national pension plan, which stated that should my earnings continue at the level at which they have since I was 18, I could receive a retirement pension of $170.59.

If I were to become disabled as per their definitive guidelines, I would receive a disability pension of nothing, and conversely, should I die, my survivor could receive a survivor benefit of $198.67.

That amount wouldn't even fetch a decent place to live today. If one were very, very frugal, it might see them through groceries. Yet retirement age is 65; at 52, one wonders what $170.59 would get me that many years down the road.

As well, each sentence comes with the word could, which means that the amount — or any amount, for that matter — is not guaranteed.

My career has been more that of a wife, mother and volunteer. The various jobs I've had throughout my life were all at minimum wage and so my financial contributions to that particular plan wouldn't stand me in very good stead were that to be my only resource when retirement does come.

It just made me wonder what my statement might say were God to send out a notice of my contributions.

Prayer: Our heavenly Father, grant that our life's contributions may be done with sincerity rather than as a necessity in hopes of a better end; our giving, freely given, not to be tallied and acknowledged for a final amount; our prayers offered for others more often than for ourselves. May we not ever keep score or compare, for it is only you who knows the true worth of how our lives are lived. Thanks be to you, as in your name we pray. Amen.

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About the author:

Mary Daniel <marydee@shaw.ca>
Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
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