Number your days and your dollars

“Behold, their ears are uncircumcised, they cannot listen…” and, “The word of the LORD is to them an object of scorn; they take no pleasure in it.”

Jeremiah 6:10 (ESV)  

Are You Prepared?

Men, in my last reflection on fitness, I said the body is not a product to optimize but a gift to steward in the face of a longevity boom. But if God gives us longer life, stronger health, and more durable bodies, and we are good stewards of that gift, then we must ask whether our financial lives are prepared to carry those added years.

A Stewardship Question

Longevity is no longer just a wellness slogan. UBS has projected the longevity economy could reach $8 trillion by 2030, driven by aging demographics and medical innovation. That sounds like market news, but for Christian men, it should become a stewardship question: What happens if I live longer than my retirement plan assumes?

What if...?

I am almost 38 years old, and on paper, I'm on track for a traditional 20 years of retirement. That sounds encouraging. But recently, a realization hit me like a ton of bricks: What if 20 years is not enough? What if I am blessed with 30 years after traditional retirement age? What if God extends the runway of my life, but my financial plan only prepared for the first two-thirds of it?

That is not fear. That is stewardship—adjusting the plan as conviction, new information, and insight come to light.

A Harder Equation

J.P. Morgan’s 2026 Guide to Retirement models planning around 35 years in retirement for someone retiring at 65. Meanwhile, younger generations often dream of an earlier retirement. John Hancock’s 2025 research found Gen Z expects to retire at 67, while Millennials, Gen X, and Boomers expect 69—even though ideal retirement ages are lower. Wanting to retire earlier while longevity stretches life after work creates a harder equation, not an easier one.

The Problem is not...

But here is where Scripture cuts deeper than the spreadsheet.

Jeremiah says, “Behold, their ears are uncircumcised, they cannot listen…” and, “The word of the LORD is to them an object of scorn; they take no pleasure in it.” (Jeremiah 6:10, ESV).

The problem is not always a lack of information. Sometimes, it is a refusal to listen.

A man can know he should save more and still refuse to adjust his lifestyle. He can know debt is shrinking his margin and still defend the purchase. He can know generosity is thin and still call it “a tight season” for ten straight years. He can know the math is fragile and still avoid the spreadsheet because comfort feels easier than conviction.

Proverbs 21:5 says, “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance.” Diligence is not panic. It is faithfulness with a calculator.

Here is the Challenge

Join me today in assessing where you may be able to gain some ground and extend your retirement runway. Nothing dramatic. Start by letting go of an unnecessary hobby or making a 1% increase per paycheck toward long-term savings: a 401(k), 403(b), Roth IRA, traditional IRA, HSA, sinking funds, or another wise bucket.

Count the cost. Revisit the plan. Reduce debt. Increase savings where needed. Speak with a wise advisor. Teach your children earlier than you learned.

And when the Word cuts, do not resent it. Say, “Lord, this is mercy. Keep speaking.”

Russell Dorsey

MD5 Facilitator