Ven. Chima Okorie of the Basilica of Grace Anglican Church, Apo, FCT, has decried the attitude of civil servants falsifying their biological age and indulging in other sharp practices.

Okorie while delivering his sermon titled: “Prepare for Retirement” in Abuja on Sunday, said some civil servants were falsifying document to elongate their stay in service

He explained that God, who gave the job in the first place, knew in the scheme of things that retirement was inevitable, so the workers should honour that decision.

The cleric said, “if we have served faithful in our various work places, God would reward us and our colleagues would also testify to our good stewardship.

“The day you were employed, God knew the time you would retire, so no need to get involved in sharp practices.

“We must take stock of our life and reflect on the kind of labour we offered, remembering that whatsoever you sow you will reap.

“God is our ultimate rewarder, when we have that in mind, our mindset will change towards retirement. Even though after retirement they tell you someone has looted the pension, God will always make a way.

“However, it is our prayer that we would not work and others will eat the fruit of our labour.’’

According to him, early preparation for retirement is mandatory for Christian workers in search of good rest after their labour for the country.

He urged Christians to emulate Apostle Paul, who said in 2 Timothy 4:7-8 “I have fought the good fight of faith, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

“Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day ….”

The cleric said that at the end of everyone’s service, they would be accountable to God.

The cleric said one way to plan for retirement was to begin planning for it from the first day of your working career.

Okorie maintained that some workers loot funds from public coffers in order to fest their nest, saying that such acts of corruption will ultimately earn them the wrath of God.

He added that another way to plan for retirement was to condition one’s mindset that their identity would change and one would have to make new friends.

‘’Part of planning for retirement is that your identity will change; friends and family may leave you. So you must condition yourself to change your identity and make new friends.’’

Okorie also said that people should plan for what to do after retirement saying that the idle mind is the devils workshop.

He, however, advised the civil servants to engage in less stressful activities after their retirement.

He added that retirement should also be spent building stronger relationship with spouses and family.

Okorie also advised parents to invest meaningfully in the lives of their children so that in the event pensions and gratuities failed, one could fall back on their investments.

He further advised children to take care of their parents after retirement, as the parents laboured for them while in active service.

(NAN)