This article is part of the Biblically-Informed Framework for Retirement Stewardship (BIFRS). It was initially published in March 2021 and updated in January 2026.
I first heard Dave Ramsey use the phrase “retire with dignity.” You may know Dave for the “baby steps” he teaches to help people get out of debt so they can save and give. He uses the phrase often to motivate students on their journey toward financial peace.
The idea behind the phrase is that by working hard, avoiding unnecessary debt (or paying off the debt we have), saving responsibly, investing wisely, while giving generously over our lifetime, we should eventually be able to retire if we want to with some level of financial independence—not entirely relying on the government, family members, or others for income. It also means entering retirement as a non-borrower—not using debt to fund it.
We’re talking about retiring with “financial dignity,” which is not about amassing so much wealth that you can live a life of luxury in retirement; that’s something else altogether. (Although, if you can afford an extravagance now and then, I say good for you.) It’s about average, middle-class (and some upper-middle-class) households having enough income in retirement to at least make ends meet—paying your bills. Hence, you are free to focus on serving your family, church, and community to further God’s kingdom (1 Cor. 15:58).
The phrase “retire with dignity” is also used frequently in financial planning circles. Advisors promise to help you “maintain your dignity in retirement.” Investment firms assure you their strategies will let you “retire with the dignity you deserve.” But what does that actually mean?
In recent years, economic volatility—from pandemic disruptions to inflation spikes and market uncertainty—has challenged many people’s retirement plans. Some have delayed retirement, others have seen their carefully constructed financial plans disrupted by rising healthcare costs and cost-of-living increases. The question of what it means to retire with dignity has become more urgent as retirees face longer lifespans, higher expenses, and shifting social dynamics.
The world offers its own definitions of dignified retirement, usually centered on financial independence and lifestyle comfort. But as Christians approaching or living in retirement, we need to ask: Does the Bible’s view of dignity align with what our culture promotes? And if not, how should we think differently about this crucial season of life?
The world’s definition of retirement dignity
When most people talk about retiring with dignity, they typically mean one or more of these things:
1. Financial independence
The ability to support yourself without relying on others—especially your children or the government beyond basic Social Security and Medicare. This view says dignified retirement means having “enough” saved so you’re not a burden to anyone.
In 2025, this pressure has intensified. With average retirement lasting 20-30 years or more, the financial bar keeps rising. Financial advisors now commonly suggest that retirees need $1-2 million in savings, creating anxiety for most who fall short of these targets. The fear of becoming a “burden” drives people to accumulate more than they truly need, often at the expense of current generosity and service opportunities.
There’s wisdom in being financially prepared and not presuming on others’ generosity. Proverbs repeatedly commends the ant who prepares for winter (Proverbs 6:6-8). But is financial self-sufficiency the essence of dignity?
2. Comfortable or luxurious lifestyle
For many, retirement dignity means the freedom to enjoy life—to travel, pursue hobbies, eat at nice restaurants, and generally live comfortably without financial stress. This is the “you’ve earned it” mentality that pervades retirement marketing.
Today’s retirement marketing paints pictures of endless travel, golf club memberships, second homes, and leisure pursuits. Social media amplifies this, with #retirementgoals showcasing exotic destinations and luxury experiences. The message is clear: you’ve earned this, you deserve this, and dignified retirement means maximizing pleasure and comfort. But this vision of dignity through consumption leaves many feeling inadequate when their circumstances are more modest, their health is limited, or they have family caregiving responsibilities.
Again, there’s nothing inherently wrong with enjoying God’s good gifts or having seasons of rest. But if dignity equals luxury and ease, what about the faithful Christian who retires with modest means? Has she somehow failed to achieve a dignified retirement?
3. Continued respect and relevance
Some equate dignified retirement with maintaining social status, respect, and a sense of being valued. This might mean consulting work, board positions, or staying actively engaged in professional networks. The underlying fear is becoming irrelevant, invisible, or dismissed as “past your prime.”
Our youth-obsessed culture does tend to sideline older adults, which is both unbiblical and foolish. But if our dignity depends on others’ recognition and respect, we’ve built on a shaky foundation.
These worldly definitions of retirement dignity all share a common flaw: they’re built on shifting foundations—market performance, health status, social trends, personal achievement. What happens to our dignity when the market crashes, health fails, or relevance fades? If dignity depends on these external factors, it becomes fragile and anxiety-producing rather than secure and peace-giving.
A better definition based on biblical dignity
The Bible offers a radically different foundation for human dignity—one that doesn’t fluctuate with circumstances or bank balances.
Made in God’s image
Genesis 1:27 declares the source of human dignity: “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”
Every human being—regardless of age, wealth, health, or productivity—bears God’s image. This is the bedrock of human dignity. You don’t earn it, you can’t lose it, and it doesn’t diminish when you stop earning a paycheck or when your body weakens.
This means a 75-year-old retiree living on Social Security in a modest apartment has exactly the same inherent dignity as a wealthy executive. A homebound senior with declining health has the same dignity as an active 30-year-old professional. Dignity isn’t about what you have or can do—it’s about whose you are.
Called to stewardship
But biblical dignity isn’t just about passive identity—it’s also about active purpose. God created humans in His image and immediately gave them work to do: “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion…” (Genesis 1:28).
Even after the Fall, the calling to steward God’s creation and gifts continues. The parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30) makes clear that we’re accountable for how we use what God has entrusted to us—our time, abilities, resources, and relationships.
Retirement doesn’t end this stewardship responsibility. As long as we draw breath, we’re called to faithfully manage God’s gifts and serve His purposes. The specific tasks may change, but the fundamental calling remains.
Defined by relationships, not achievements
Biblical dignity is also deeply relational. We’re made for relationships with God and with others. Jesus summarized all the commandments in relational terms: love God, love your neighbor (Matthew 22:37-40).
This means dignified living—at any age—isn’t primarily about achievements, status, or independence. It’s about loving well. It’s about maintaining communion with God and serving others.
In this framework, a retiree who mentors younger believers, serves at a food bank, prays faithfully for missionaries, or simply offers hospitality and encouragement to neighbors is living with great dignity—regardless of their bank balance or social status.
What retiring with dignity actually looks like
So what does it mean to retire with dignity, biblically understood?
1. Maintaining purpose and mission
Dignified retirement isn’t about ceasing to be useful or productive for God’s kingdom. It’s about continuing to steward your gifts—perhaps with different emphases and rhythms, but still purposefully.
This might mean:
- Mentoring younger Christians in your area of expertise
- Serving in a church ministry that your previous work schedule prevented
- Using your professional skills for ministry or nonprofit work
- Increased intercessory prayer is your “work”
- Caring for grandchildren to free up your adult children for their calling
- Hospitality and community-building among neighbors
The post-pandemic world has also expanded how retirees can serve. Digital ministry opportunities allow homebound seniors to mentor internationally via video calls. Online Bible studies connect isolated believers. Church media teams benefit from retirees with time to learn new technologies. Food pantries, foster care support, prison ministries, and refugee assistance programs all need the steady, faithful presence that retirees can provide. The key isn’t the specific avenue of service—it’s maintaining the heart posture that says, “I’m still a steward of God’s gifts, still called to love and serve, still an image-bearer with purpose.”
2. Growing in Christlikeness
Retirement offers opportunities for spiritual growth that your working years may have limited. More time for Bible study, prayer, Scripture memory, and reflection can deepen your walk with God.
Dignified retirement means viewing this season as preparation for eternity—continuing to grow in faith, wisdom, and character rather than coasting spiritually.
3. Stewarding resources generously
Biblical dignity in retirement includes wise financial stewardship, but with an open hand rather than a clenched fist. This means:
- Living within your means with contentment
- Continuing to give generously to God’s work
- Being willing to help adult children or others in need when appropriate
- Not hoarding resources out of fear
The goal isn’t to die with zero, nor to die with the most—it’s to steward faithfully whatever God has provided, with open hands and a generous heart.
4. Accepting limitations with grace
Dignified retirement also means accepting age-related limitations without equating them with loss of dignity. Your body may weaken, your energy may decrease, your memory may not be as sharp—but none of this diminishes your fundamental dignity as an image-bearer of God.
In fact, how we handle weakness and limitations can be a powerful witness. Paul wrote, “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
5. Preparing for eternity
Perhaps most importantly, dignified retirement means living with an eternal perspective. This life—including retirement—is preparation for the life to come.
Retirement can be a gift that allows us to focus more intentionally on eternal priorities: deepening our relationship with God, investing in people, and finishing well. The writer of Hebrews describes faithful servants of God who “died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth” (Hebrews 11:13).
Retiring with dignity doesn’t require a million-dollar portfolio or a luxury lifestyle. It requires something far more valuable and far more attainable: a clear understanding of whose you are and why you’re here. When we grasp that our dignity flows from being made in God’s image and called to steward His gifts, retirement becomes not an ending but a continuation—perhaps even an acceleration—of purposeful, God-glorifying living. The question isn’t whether we can afford to retire with dignity, but whether we’ll embrace the biblical definition of dignity that’s already ours in Christ.
The freedom this brings
Understanding biblical dignity brings tremendous freedom:
Freedom from anxiety about money. Yes, be wise and prudent with finances, but your dignity doesn’t depend on your portfolio. Whether you retire wealthy or with modest means, your fundamental worth and dignity remain unchanged.
Freedom from the pressure to prove yourself. You don’t need to justify your existence through continued productivity, achievement, or busyness. Your value comes from being God’s image-bearer, not from your accomplishments.
Freedom to serve joyfully. Without the pressure to maintain status or prove your worth, you’re free to serve in whatever ways God opens up—whether that’s prominent or obscure, recognized or unseen.
Freedom to age gracefully. You don’t need to fight desperately against every sign of aging or equate growing older with diminishing dignity. Your body may weaken, but your fundamental dignity is secure in Christ.
Freedom to be generous. When you’re not desperately trying to accumulate enough to feel secure and dignified, you can give more freely—both of your financial resources and your time.
Conclusion
The world’s definition of dignified retirement is built on sand—on circumstances that can shift, on achievements that fade, on resources that can be lost. It creates anxiety and sets many people up to feel they’ve failed to retire “with dignity.”
The biblical definition of dignity is built on rock—on the unchangeable reality that God made you in His image, calls you to stewardship, and values you based on relationship rather than performance.
This means you can retire with dignity, whether you have $50,000 or $5 million in the bank. You can live with dignity whether you’re healthy and active or dealing with significant physical limitations. You maintain your dignity whether society views you as relevant and important or overlooks you entirely.
Your dignity comes from God. It can’t be earned, and it can’t be lost. But it calls you to faithful stewardship, purposeful living, and generous loving—not just in your working years, but throughout your retirement and right up to your final breath.
That’s what it really means to retire with dignity.