Sharing a Secret

Lamentations 3:27 reads, "It is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth." The Proverbs stress the value of hard work (6:6-11, 14:23), and a simple life. Agur asks, "Give me neither poverty or riches- feed me with the food allotted to me." (30:8) And 1 Thessalonians 4:11 reads, "that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you."
     By the grace of God He taught me to appreciate the simple life from my late teens. Working hard was instilled in me by my dad. Working consistently took some time. Some years ago i heard a man say that if someone worked very hard at the beginning of their life they would not normally have to do that at the end. Now I understand that God can pull the plug on the entire world political/economic system at any time. Prior to that I believe that for many people it is possible to work hard, live simply, give to God's work, and save and invest the difference.
     About twenty-five years ago i heard a pastor speak to several hundred men. He outlined a vision of becoming self-supporting missionaries or workers in the Kingdom using the principles above. While i never imagined that this could happen to me, the idea never left. Four and a half years ago, in my middle fifties, i was able to retire from regular work, and embark on full time service for the Lord without needing any outside support. This was possible because of God's grace, hard work, a simple life, and frugal parents. I never made large sums of money but by recent calculations worked the equivalent of forty-eight "normal" years time in thirty-eight calendar years.
    I offer this as a suggestion to younger people. Curtail your lifestyle, consider the future, work hard now. I know so many people far more gifted than i who dream about being in full time service who cannot do this because of financial limitations. The reality is that even the affluent American Church only supports a relative minority of people, and often very poorly.