Redefining Retirement as a Spiritual Journey:
[ Spiritual Luster ]
Spiritual Luster is the degree that you can live in the “now” and experience the glow of
Definition: the light of Christ, understand your inner beauty, and recognize your spiritual
distinctiveness.
Retirement Challenge:
Live Now. How can I remain as fully alive in retirement as I did in previous life
stages?
Topical Outline:
1. Cultural tendency to over-value youth and de-value “old.”
a. Illogical because greater maturity makes one better.
b. Every age and phase of life is good.
2. Would you rather be 80 or 20?
a. Only NOW is where we can live and love.
3. Unless we respond to God’s call of love we diminish our potential for living fully.
Jesus calls us
to conversion.
4. If we choose love’s shadow, we:
a. Devalue ourselves by settling for mediocrity.
b. Make excuses for being less than we are.
c. Our light begins to fade.
d. Lose our vitality, verve, and vibrancy.
e. We lose our luster.
5. Luster is that personal, intangible quality that bespeaks an inner radiance, glow,
and brilliance.
6. Jesus calls us to conversion.
a. In retirement we awaken to new elements of our individual style of luster.
7. Three components of luster:
a. Luminosity.
b. Beauty.
© Richard P. Johnson, PhD
In retirement
we awaken to
new elements
of our
individual
style of luster.
c. Distinctiveness.
8. Luster gives us:
a. Self-affirmation, balance, humor, and personal motivation.
b. Close to the meaning of grace, sanctifying grace.
c. The ‘holying’ presence of God.
9. Components of Luster:
a. Prayerful.
b. Faith driven.
c. Real.
d. Radiator of Christ’s love.
e. Committed.
f.
Balanced.
g. Affirming of self.
h. A listener.
i.
Respectful.
j.
Optimistic.
10. Retirees with spiritual luster:
a. Possess an inner radiance; they reflect the light of Christ.
b. Remain fresh, not stale.
c. More apt to put forth concentrated effort.
d. Give themselves permission to be what they could be.
e. Retain their cognitive ‘edge.’
11. Retirement virtue: Wisdom vs. Inadequacy.
© Richard P. Johnson, PhD
Redefining Retirement as a Spiritual Journey:
[ Spiritual Luster ]
Insight Exercise – Spiritual Luster:
This Christian Retirement Challenge introduces the concept of "spiritual luster". Spiritual Luster is described as
having three components (listed below).
Directions: Describe how you may be using each of the three components of spiritual luster as you prepare for,
or are already in retirement.
1. LUMINOSITY: the light of Christ within you.
2. BEAUTY: your innate spiritual attractiveness.
3. DISTINCTIVENESS: our spiritual status as a Child of God.
© Richard P. Johnson, PhD
Redefining Retirement as a Spiritual Journey:
[ Spiritual Luster ]
Scripture Exercise:
Jesus for his part progressed steadily in wisdom and age and grace before God and men.
Luke 3:52
1. How do you interpret this passage with reference to Spiritual Luster?
2. What does the passage say to you personally?
3. What specific changes, if any, does this passage motivate you to pursue for your life in retirement?
4. Look up any two of the following references and, along with a partner, discuss the implications these
passages have for your life in retirement?
Philippians 3:13-16
Philippians 3:21
II Corinthians 5:1
© Richard P. Johnson, PhD