Labor Day – Not Just Another Day Off Work

Labor Day is next Monday, and many of us know what that means: College football season gets into full swing this weekend. Hooray! But as millions stream through the gates of collegiate stadiums across the country, and many more millions tune in to watch their favorite teams on TV, we’d do well not to forget the significance of the upcoming holiday itself. 

The history of Labor Day traces back to New York City on Sept. 5, 1882, where the Central Labor Union organized a parade. But it wasn’t until June 28, 1894, in response to strikes over unfair labor practices and public pressure during the Industrial Revolution, that President Grover Cleveland signed legislation to establish it as a national holiday. Its purpose was to celebrate historical achievements such as eight-hour workdays, free weekends, and safer working conditions.

 

Today, many people enjoy it primarily for extending the weekend. Some communities sponsor parades, while many folks plan backyard barbecues and picnics, and take advantage of retail sales events. 

 

Always observed on the first Monday of September, Labor Day deserves to be regarded as more than just another day away from labor. It should be a time for recognizing the intrinsic value of work, along with economic achievements that have helped to build our nation and lift the living standards of countless millions of workers and their families.

 

Sadly, it seems work has been devalued, especially in recent years. The COVID pandemic contributed to this, with millions of American workers either losing their jobs, being sent home to work remotely, or having their work hours drastically reduced as a consequence of shutdowns. But studies indicate the lowered prominence of work in society has persisted post-pandemic.

 

For instance, approximately seven million prime-age men (ages 25-54) reportedly are neither working nor seeking employment. This means adult male labor force participation has declined to below 67 percent, compared to 77 percent in the 1970s and the all-time high of nearly 87 percent in 1948. Numerous factors have contributed to this, but what’s most troubling is that millions of people – men and women – aren’t working, not because they can’t find work but rather because they choose not to work.

 

Some might wonder, ‘What’s the big deal?’ It’s a big deal for several reasons. Most important, work was established by God. The opening chapter of Genesis in the Old Testament, after describing how the Lord pursued His work of Creation, gives us what some theologians refer to as the “cultural mandate”:

“Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness….’ God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number, fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature…. I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food…’” (Genesis 1:26-29).

 

God is a worker, and part of being made in His image is that men and women also are to be workers, tending to what He has created. Because of the original sin of Adam and Eve – “the Fall” – the Lord prescribed that work would become difficult. “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you…. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food…” (Genesis 3:17-19).

 

Despite this, work through the centuries has retained a sense of purpose, even nobility. King Solomon observed, “Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him – for this is his lot” (Ecclesiastes 5:18).

 

Work also is a way of honoring God by wholeheartedly using the abilities and talents He has entrusted to us: “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him…. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:17,23-24).

 

A third important value of work is being able to employ our skills, gifts and experience to serve others. We take many forms of work for granted, but have you ever considered what it would be like if there were no one to perform them? 

 

We expect to walk into a clean restroom, but there must be someone to keep it clean. At a restaurant we rely on people to take our orders, serve our food, and clean off the tables when we leave so they’re ready for someone else. To fly anywhere safely requires hundreds of people, starting with the plane’s designers and manufacturers, maintenance crew to put fuel in and make necessary repairs, ticket agents, pilots and co-pilots, flight attendants, cabin cleaners, food preparers, air traffic controllers, and many others.

 

At times we might regard work as “a necessary evil,” but whatever kind of work we do, in one way or another we’re performing an important function for other people. As the apostle Peter wrote, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms” (1 Peter 4:10).

 

Our foremost example is Jesus Christ. Before embarking on His earthly ministry, He was a craftsman. Ultimately, His work was to teach, heal the sick and disabled, feed the hungry, bring a handful of people back to life, and then die on the cross as the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Jesus always had a clear understanding of why He had come: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

 

So, as you’re enjoying the Labor Day holiday, and perhaps assessing the first full weekend of college football, please don’t forget: God ordained work, He has equipped you with capabilities to do your work, and many people benefit from what you do. Happy Labor Day!

Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho, It’s Off to Work We Go!

We’re just days away from our annual holiday oxymoron: Labor Day. It’s the day every year that most of us celebrate work – by taking the day off from work.

 

Many of us eagerly look forward to weekends and plan our next vacations with much anticipation, but it’s work that keeps the wheels of progress turning. The range of jobs and career paths available is greater than ever. Once a predominantly agrarian society, the United States saw that forever change with the Industrial Revolution, then computer technology. Yes, we still have farms and farmers, but even the work done there has been revolutionized.

 

We’ve got doctors, nurses, CPAs, lawyers, engineers, architects, teachers, homemakers, barbers, estheticians, artists, musicians, business executives, salespeople, electricians, carpenters, plumbers, entrepreneurs, scientists, retail clerks, first responders, masons, handymen (handypeople?), writers, editors, administrative assistants, financial planners, computer programmers, construction workers, technicians of many kinds, professional athletes, librarians. And that’s just scratching the surface of vocational options we have today.

 

For some, work is where they find their sense of worth and meaning. I don’t believe that is exactly what God intended, but in the Scriptures, we see that work was ordained from the start. The Creation account in Genesis 1-2 shows the Lord busily at work, creating the heavens and the earth, light, the stars, all the various forms of life, and finally humankind.

 

Then He assigned the work of maintaining His creation to us. “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground…. I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food” (Genesis 1:28-29).

 

Unfortunately, Adam and Eve chose to disregard God’s command not to eat from one specific tree in the garden of Eden, and that’s when work got complicated. One of the consequences of the first couple’s sin was that work would no longer be easy: 

“Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you…. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground…” (Genesis 3:17-19).

 

Does this passage strike a chord with you? Are there days when you wake up and instead of saying, “Good morning, Lord!” you grumble, “Good Lord, morning!”?

 

Yes, work is often hard, even if your vocation or career is something you enjoy. Manual labor can be back-breaking; administrative and clerical work can be mentally taxing. Deadlines, budgets and other work demands can send us into a stress-filled tailspin. Nevertheless, the Bible tells us repeatedly that work – in whatever form it takes – is noble. And sacred.

 

In fact, 1 Corinthians 3:9 declares, “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.” And if we ever wonder what we can do to serve the Lord, Colossians 3:23-24 tells us one way is striving to do our jobs well: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

 

King Solomon of Israel, author of the largely non-uplifting Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes, did have some hopeful insights about work. After commenting about the frustrations of life, including the pursuits of pleasure and wealth, he observed, “Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him – for this is his lot” (Ecclesiastes 5:18).

 

Solomon then reached a kind of good-news, bad-news conclusion: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the grave, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom” (Ecclesiastes 9:10).

 

Clearly, our work is a way of serving God – and serving others. The grocery clerk working to earn money for college is stocking shelves where we find our canned goods, drinks and bread. The person in the nail salon also seeking a paycheck is helping some young woman look just right for her special evening. The road worker paving the street in the hot sun is helping to ensure we have a smooth drive – without potholes – to wherever we’re headed.

 

After God commanded the Israelites to construct an elaborate tabernacle for worship, He equipped certain individuals with all the abilities that would be needed. “He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as craftsmen, designers, embroiders in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers…” (Exodus 35:35).

In a similar manner, the Lord has gifted each of us with unique skills, talents and passions for fulfilling the calling He has place on our lives. As the title of a book written years ago by Doug Sherman and William Hendricks informs us, Your Work Matters to God. Maybe we need to be like Snow White’s seven dwarfs who, on their way to the mines, would sing, “Hi-ho, hi-ho, it’s off to work we go.” 

Celebrating Work, an Integral Part of Everyday Life

There are those among us who regard work merely as ‘a necessary evil.’ They live for being able to declare, “TGIF! – Thank Goodness It’s Friday!” But from its beginning, work has been an integral part of American life and culture. It’s fitting that every year our nation designates September’s first Monday as Labor Day.

 

To some folks, Labor Day is simply the last holiday before the beginning of the school year and the long slog through autumn until Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s. But Labor Day should also be a time for recognizing the efforts – the blood, sweat and tears – of countless millions who labored in steel mills, coal mines, factories, and shops; drove trucks, laid railroad tracks, built highways, designed and made clothing, and developed new technological innovations. The list could go on and on.

The significance of work has been put to melody and song in many ways, some positive and some not. Consider just a sampling of labor-related hit tunes from years past:

“Working 9 to 5” by Dolly Parton; “Chain Gang” by Sam Cooke; “Takin’ Care of Business” by Bachman-Turner Overdrive; “Workin’ For a Livin’” by Huey Lewis and the News; “Take This Job and Shove It” by Johnny Paycheck; “Sixteen Tons” by Tennessee Ernie Ford; “A Hard Day’s Night” by the Beatles.

 

Work has such universal value that it was the subject of not one, but two songs in the animated Walt Disney classic, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” Many of us can still happily recall “Heigh-Ho” and “Whistle While You Work.” Snow White and her little friends were an industrious lot.

 

In more ways than we could count, we’ve all benefited from work. But work wasn’t a concept conjured up by some caveman who stumbled across the possibility of making a fire or fashioning a primitive wheel. It wasn’t thought up by the many “captains of industry.” It was God’s idea from the start, as we see in the opening chapter of the Bible’s first book.

 

After creating humankind in His own image, “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves on the ground…. I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food…’” (Genesis 1:27-30).

 

But God didn’t create work as a burden or a punishment. He originally designed it as part of his purpose for humanity. Some theologians have termed it the “cultural mandate” – to serve as keepers or stewards of His creation. We also see this in the New Testament, where the apostle Paul declared, “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building” (1 Corinthians 3:9)

 

Imagine being given the honor of being “fellow workers” with God?

 

Along with this amazing privilege comes great responsibility. Work is an obligation and a necessity as well. In this post-pandemic age when it seems fewer and fewer are motivated to work and seem to have figured out ways not to, the Bible offers numerous admonitions about the importance and intrinsic value of honest labor.

 

Writing to Christ followers in the ancient city of Thessalonica, the apostle Paul apparently was addressing a problem with people who had an aversion to work. That, he stated, could not be tolerated: “For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10).

 

As an aside, this phrase was even incorporated into early Communist and socialist writings. Russian leader Vladimir Lenin wrote in his 1917 work, The State and Revolution, that “he who does not work shall not eat” was an essential principle under socialism. Somehow, it seems, the gravity of that conviction has been lost in contemporary thinking, socialist or otherwise.

 

The Bible, of course, does not endorse such ideologies, promoting instead the virtues of hard work and personal initiative. Proverbs 15:19 puts it this way, “The way of the sluggard is blocked with thorns, but the path of the upright is a highway.” Looking at this from a little different angle, Proverbs 16:26 observes, “The laborer’s appetite works for him; his hunger drives him on.”

 

Even nature affirms this reality. State and national parks feature signs that read, “Don’t feed the bears” and “Don’t feed the animals.” Left alone, these creatures are perfectly able to find food by themselves. Feeding them disrupts this natural instinct, making them lazy and dependent.

Bottom line: As we observe this Labor Day, most of us treating it as a ‘lazy day’ – a much-needed break from our jobs – let’s pause to appreciate the benefits and values we can derive from a hard day’s work, in whatever form it takes. 

Time for Celebrating a Labor of Love

Of all our American holidays, Labor Day is probably the most confusing. In the minds of some, it marks the unofficial end of summer. Others might regard the holiday weekend as the annual launch of football season. For many schoolchildren, Labor Day signifies the end of summer vacation and time to return to the classroom. While for many folks, it’s just an opportunity to hit the pause button before the most hectic time of the year begins.

 

The holiday was birthed in the late 19^th century, when labor activists were advocating an annual celebration of the many contributions workers had made to the strength, prosperity and overall health of the nation. It came at the peak of the Industrial Revolution, when many workers were putting in 12-hour days, seven days a week to eke out a minimal livelihood. Worker strikes, protests and riots led up to Congressional action declaring a federal holiday, signed into law on June 28, 1894. Tangible changes in working hours, compensation and benefits were to follow.

 

Imagine the creativity and effort required
to construct this spiral staircase.

So, while many of us are spending the day at cookouts, various outings or just relaxing, enjoying a day off work, it’s fitting that we pause for a brief homage to American workers, men and women who not only have managed to earn a livelihood for themselves and their families, but also have contributed to the well-being of our society in countless ways.

 

It can also serve as a reminder that from the beginning, work was God’s idea. Even before the sins of Adam and Eve broke up their idyllic existence in Eden, the Lord had ordained work as a good use of our time and talents, as well as a way of giving glory to Him as our Creator.

 

We find this clearly expressed in the first chapter of Genesis. After stating that God created male and female in His image, it says, “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it…. I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food” (Genesis 1:28-29).

 

Sadly, after the original couple defied the Lord by eating fruit from the one tree God had forbidden them to eat from, work became difficult: “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life…. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food…” (Genesis 1:17-19). Perhaps, before their “fall,” when Eve asked Adam to fetch her a particular type of food he would respond, “No sweat.” No longer.

 

This in no way negates the truth that God, the ultimate worker, desires for us to also work and honor Him in the process. In fact, the Scriptures say it’s one means for receiving recognition and advancing through society: “Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men” (Proverbs 22:29). 

 

In Ecclesiastes, generally attributed to King Solomon, we find a sometimes-negative perspective on work. For instance, he writes, “So I hated life, because the work that is done under the sun was grievous to me. All of it is meaningless, a chasing after the wind” (Ecclesiastes 2:17). And yet, later in the chapter he writes, “A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God” (Ecclesiastes 2:24).

 

A couple chapters later, Solomon affirms the benefits of collaborating with others: “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10).

 

Other verses from Proverbs affirm the value of hard work, such as, “Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth” (Proverbs 10:4) and, “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty” (Poverty 14:23).

 

Then the New Testament book of Colossians revisits the idea that work is not only productive and profitable, but also a way for serving and glorifying our Creator God: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:23-24).

As many of us enjoy another day off from our jobs, vocations and professions, it would be good also to remember that work is a good and noble thing, birthed in the infinite and wonderful mind of God. It should be a time of celebration – and worship! 

Are We Going to Belabor the Value of Labor Day?

Like every other holiday over the course of this craziest of crazy years, Labor Day 2020 is different from any we’ve had in the past. In fact, if we follow the emerging thinking of our current age, some might contend it’s not even be a day that should be celebrated.

The intrinsic and noble value of work is at the heart of the “Protestant work ethic,” a term popularized in the early 1900s by Max Weber in his book, The Protestant Work Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. (I remember reading it as a college freshman.) A concept in theology, sociology, economics and history, it places high value in hard work, discipline and frugality. It views work as a commendable duty that benefits both the individual and society as a whole.

 

There are voices, however, that lump this long-revered philosophy of work with so-called “whiteness,” and are therefore seeking to discredit its principles. Without launching into a political debate, let me just say I find such thinking unfortunate. Especially because from the very beginning, hard work – and the rewards from it – have been God’s idea. And so it remains today.

We see it in the opening chapters of the Bible’s first book. One may choose to discount the Scriptures, but if you believe the Bible, you have no option but to accept the ethic of work. 

 

In chapter 1 of Genesis, we see God actively involved in the work of creation, the entire universe: light; the earth and the seas: vegetation; sun, moon and stars; all living creatures, and then mankind. We read in Genesis 2:1-2, “Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished. And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.”

 

Whether we interpret the Creation process as six literal 24-hour days or a longer period – since there were no clocks, watches or calendars for charting time – is irrelevant for this discussion. God engaged in work, the greatest work of all time, and then paused from His labors.

 

Soon He delegated the work responsibilities to His prized creations, man and woman. The Lord didn’t present Adam and Eve with video games or puzzles to occupy their time. He entrusted them with the maintenance of the garden of Eden and the new world He had established.

 

“So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female…. Then the Lord blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’ And God said, ‘See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.’” (Genesis 1:27:29).

 

 In the next chapter we see Adam and Eve’s “job description” being affirmed: “Then the Lord took the man and put him in the garden of to tend it and keep it” (Genesis 2:15).

 

Then came the “oops” moment, however, when the first couple were enticed into eating of the one tree in the garden that God had told them was off limits – the first sin of disobedience. As a consequence, work became hard. The Lord declared, “Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you…. In the seat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground…” (Genesis 3:17-19).

 

This did not diminish the importance of work in God’s eyes. It just became more challenging, frustrating, and sometimes fruitless. Throughout the Scriptures we see the virtues of hard work being extolled. The book of Proverbs, for example, has much to say about it:

 

“Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth” (Proverbs 10:4).

“He who gathers crops in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son” (Proverbs 10:5).

He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment” (Proverbs 12:11)

“Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in slave labor” (Proverbs 12:24).

“The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied” (Proverbs 13:4).

“All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty” (Proverbs 14:23).

“One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys” (Proverbs 18:9).

“Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men” (Proverbs 22:29).

 

There are dozens of other similar verses, but the message is clear: Hard work and diligence eventually reap a worthwhile reward, while failure to work or unwillingness to put forth a determined effort will result in failure and want.

 

When Jesus was selecting His followers, among them were hard-working fishermen, individuals who understood the truth of the adage, “nothing ventured, nothing gained.” If they didn’t take their boats out to sea and cast their nets, there would be nothing to eat – or to sell.

 

A number of Christ’s parables dealt with farming metaphors, incorporating the essentials of cultivating, sowing and harvesting into His spiritual truths. Being a carpenter Himself for most of His adult life, Jesus was no stranger to hard labor.

 

When I try to understand God’s perspective of work, one other passage comes to mind: “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building” (1 Corinthians 3:9). The context refers primarily to evangelism and spiritual growth, but as we have seen from the start, we are all part of the Lord’s divine and eternal plan, whatever form our work happens to take.

 

Whether we’re black, white, brown, Asian, African-American, Hispanic, Middle Eastern or Caucasian, male or female, God has work for us to do. Therefore, we celebrate Labor Day.

 

We Need a New Perspective About Labor

With another Labor Day upon us, perhaps it’s time not only to recognize the value of laborers – workers whose services we all benefit from – but also to hit the “refresh” button for what we think about labor (work) itself.

These days much of the conversation seems centered around compensation for work: What the guaranteed minimum wage should be, if there should be a guaranteed minimum wage at all. I won’t wade into that debate, but I’m concerned that we’re greatly devaluing work if all we’re concerned about is how much we’re paid for doing it, along with benefits like health insurance and vacation time.

Because from the start, God ordained work. He placed humankind here on earth not to spend all of our time stopping to smell the roses. He had things for us to do. In the opening chapter of Genesis, it says:

“God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and every living creature that moves on the ground…. I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food'” (Genesis 1:28-20).

Later, Adam and Eve committed the fatal sin of eating from the one tree in the garden of Eden whose fruit was taboo for them. One of the consequences was that from that point on, work became hard: “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you…. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food…” (Genesis 3:17-19).

Imagine, before their fateful fall from temptation into sin, Eve would ask Adam at the end of his work day, “Hi, hon! How was your day?” and he would respond, “No sweat!” Then they went and ruined everything.

Yes, work became difficult, challenging, even frustrating. But that didn’t make it bad. One of my favorite passages in the Scriptures concerning work is Colossians 3:23-24, which admonishes, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” As if the nameplate on the boss’s desk were to read, “The Lord,” or “Jesus Christ.”

The book of Ecclesiastes, which has a lot to say about work and its role in our lives, says similarly, “Whatever your hands find to do, do it with all your might…” (Ecclesiastes 9:10). We work to earn a living; there’s no question about that. But ultimately, if we believe the Bible, that livelihood also comes from God. 

James 1:17 says, “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” This assurance applies to many things, but we can be assured that work and the provision for our needs that we derive from it are included among these “good and perfect” things.

An interesting New Testament verse, 2 Corinthians 5:20, declares, “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.” One of the best places to serve as an ambassador for Jesus Christ is where we work, where we daily encounter and rub shoulders with people who need to hear about the Good News of Christ and see what faith in Him looks like when lived out on a daily basis.

At the same time, we can – and should – value the work and efforts of people who serve us. The apostle Paul exhorted believers, “Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you” (1 Thessalonians 5:12). While the context for this exhortation concerns pastors and spiritual leaders, the principle can easily be applied for anyone whose work enhances our lives, whether it’s the server in a restaurant, the plumber who comes to fix a persistent leak, the law enforcement officer who strives to keep lawbreakers at bay, the teacher who instructs and encourages our children, or the trash collector who hauls away our garbage.

What we get paid matters. We need money to buy food for our tables, clothes for ourselves and our loved ones, gas for the car, and for rent or the mortgage payment. Along with some of our “wants.” But to view work solely by how much compensation we receive is to greatly diminish the value of work and the dignity we receive from doing it. Work – using our abilities, gifts and experience – is a very special privilege and should be a source of joy. Let’s keep it in the right perspective.

Let’s Get Worked Up Over Work

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs are obviously "bushed"
after a hard day of work at Walt Disney World.

“Whistle While You Work….” What a fun, lilting tune for the Seven Dwarfs marching off to the mines every day in the Walt Disney classic, “Snow White.” With a merry “Hi, ho,” Doc, Sleepy, Dopey, Bashful, Sneezy. Grumpy and Happy would say good-bye to their lovely, raven-haired guest on their way to harvest precious stones.

What did the dwarfs do with the gems – take them to their friendly local gemologist, collect them for an annual jewelers’ convention, sell them on eBay? Who knows? But they seemed to enjoy their work.

This being Labor Day in the USA, it’s a time most of us take the day off (ironically) to celebrate the virtues of honest work. But it seems rather than celebrating, what we need to be doing is remembering or recapturing those virtues, because many people seem intent on avoiding work as much as possible. Unwilling employment is surpassing unemployment as the greater dilemma.

Recently I heard about a major manufacturer in our region that’s having a very hard time recruiting and replacing employees, and it employs thousands in its plants. Many job applicants have virtually no work history, and even after multiple interviews and thorough screening, an alarming percentage quit the same day they’re hired and start to work, or soon afterward. Apparently, working isn’t their “thing.”

Whatever happened to the old-fashioned “work ethic”?

In some quarters there’s a major push to drastically raise the minimum wage so that unskilled, low-responsibility workers at fast-food restaurants, cafes and other places can receive a “living wage.” Yet studies indicate that in more than a few cases, when hourly pay increases, workers willingly – and eagerly – reduce the number of hours they want to work. I heard a rumor that they’re unionizing and will strike, demanding payday everyday and no work on payday.

One of the issues surrounding immigration, and illegal immigrants, is the reality that men and women coming into the country from less affluent lands are willing to perform jobs that many able-bodied individuals regard as sheer drudgery and beneath their station.

Not being a sociologist or politician, I’m not about to suggest solutions to such perplexities. But I do think it wouldn’t hurt to revisit the purpose and meaning of work.

Of course, work is hardly a new idea. It’s not something birthed during the Industrial Revolution. It was God’s idea, from the very start.

In the first chapter of Genesis, He commanded the first man and woman, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground…. I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food…” (Genesis 1:28-29).

Some theologians refer to this as the “cultural mandate,” the first job description for humankind. Unfortunately, following the disobedience of Adam and Eve in eating from the one tree forbidden to them, one of the consequences was that work became hard. “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you…. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food…” (Genesis 3:17-19).

Today, most of us don’t make our living from the ground. But the painful toil is still there, along with “thorns and thistles” in many forms. As a result, instead of awakening with a hearty “Good morning, Lord!”, we grumble instead, “Good Lord, morning!”

But even conceding that work is difficult, the fact God ordained it makes it sacred and a worthwhile pursuit. The Bible says much about the merits of hard work – along with the perils of laziness and lack of initiative. Here’s a sampling of what’s found just in the book of Proverbs:

-        “Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth” (Proverbs 10:4).

-        “He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment” (Proverbs 12:11).

-        “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty” (Proverbs 14:23).

-        “The laborer’s appetite works for him; his hunger drives him on” (Proverbs 16:26).

-        “Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men” (Proverbs 22:29).

It’s clear God intends for us to work and for our labors to be rewarding, challenging as they may be at times. But there’s one other divine purpose behind work: It serves as a way of worshipping our Creator. “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:23-24).

So if you have a holiday today, enjoy the time off. Relax. Refresh. Then when tomorrow comes, get to work!

Work Isn’t Just About Money

Like Little Boy Blue in this Rock City depiction,
many of us are taking today off work.

Today marks another Labor Day, when many of us opt to not labor. But not everyone, thank goodness.

Law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency and medical personnel, and the military will be working, because issues of safety, health and human well-being never take a holiday. We can all go to our favorite restaurants and retail stores as well, because eating and buying never seem to take the day off. For workers in those establishments, Labor Day’s just another day. If you spend the day at a theme park or a professional ball game, labor won’t be optional for the ticket sellers, concessionaires, ride operators and performers.

As for the rest of us, ranging from mail carriers to office workers to road construction crews, we can pause, enjoying a long weekend. It might be a time for revisiting the value of work, beyond getting a paycheck and covering our financial obligations.

We hear a lot these days about unemployment and underemployment, and they are serious concerns. Especially if you’re among the unemployed or underemployed. Being able to enjoy a day off from work means you have work from which to take a day off.

But Labor Day should be more than just a day for honoring workers. It should also be a day for celebrating work’s intrinsic value. Because it’s not a curse; it’s a blessing and part of our calling as men and women created in the image of God. The first chapter of Genesis describes how God worked, creating the entire universe and then narrowing His scope in creating the earth, everything in it, and finally His prize creation, humankind.

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27).

But in making us His image bearers, God delegated some responsibilities to us: “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number, fill the earth and subdue it…. I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food’” (Genesis 1:28-29).

God wasn’t about to provide everything we needed on a silver platter. We would have to put forth the effort to gather it. After the Fall – the sinful disobedience of man – work because hard. But just because it’s difficult, sometimes a real pain, that doesn’t mean it’s not important in God’s scheme of things.

As the apostle Paul reminds us in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” In other words, for each of us the Lord has a divine “to-do list,” not to earn His love and favor, but to serve as the instruments for what He desires to accomplish – through us.

And as we do His work, God wants us to do it His way. “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

There’s a line of thinking, even within evangelical churches, that “secular” work is somehow a necessary evil, a rung or two below that of a pastor, Bible teacher or missionary. However, the Scriptures don’t make such a distinction. In fact, in 1 Corinthians 3:9, Paul writes, “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.” And he’s not directing his admonition to the clergy and seminary students.

Sadly, many people find work a relentless, distasteful grind, a way to put food on the table and keep bill collectors at bay, but nothing more. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we all could find jobs we truly enjoyed? That’s a topic for another day perhaps, but recently I came across a quote from an old friend that might be helpful.

The last Charlie “Tremendous” Jones was an engaging, high-spirited motivational speaker who found a positive slant for almost everything. He offered this observation about the daily duties we call “work” or labor:

“Don’t try to get a better job; do a better job. Do a better job, and you’ll have a better job!”

Wise words. Rather than leaning over the fence or staring out the window, yearning for the “greener grass” on the other side and imagining what it could be like working somewhere else, it might make a great difference to fully commit to the jobs we have, do our best where we are, and then possibly discover what we have to do isn’t so bad after all.

And who knows? If we really do our jobs well, maybe someone will notice and reward us by offering an even better job. It’s not unprecedented. So, happy Labor Day!

Laboring for the Right Things

Our Chihuahua-terrier mix, Molly, "working like a dog."

Since I write my blog posts a couple weeks in advance, I’m now thinking about Labor Day since that’s when this will appear. For some reason the words to the Beatles’ tune, “A Hard Day’s Night,” come to mind: “It’s been a hard day’s night, and I’ve been working like a dog…. I should be sleeping like a log.”

Actually, having a dog, the phrase “working like a dog” doesn’t compute well for me. Our Chihuahua-terrier mix is 16 years old and sleeps about 23½ hours a day now. She’s the one that’s sleeping like a log. I suppose when the “working like a dog” cliché originated, it was in reference to shepherd dogs energetically herding sheep, St. Bernards faithfully searching for lost skiers, or German Shepherds or Doberman Pinchers trained for war or law enforcement.

Or her preferred activity, sleeping like a log.

But often we hear people complaining of “working like a dog,” whether they’ve actually observed a dog at work or not. In any case, it’s clear that’s not a good way to be working. I’ve always figured if you really feel you’re working like a dog, you should investigate another line of work.

I’m fortunate to have found myself in a profession that, while it’s required hard work and long hours, has been extremely rewarding and fulfilling. I started as a newspaper editor for a community newspaper, being an editorial staff of one. Then I worked on other newspapers, before becoming a magazine editor, followed by opportunities to write freelance articles, author and edit books, and even do a weekly email workplace meditation that’s sent around the world and translated in more than 20 different languages.

This work has been demanding, sometimes tedious, often stressful, but I’ve never felt as if I were “working like a dog.” (Actually, since dogs can’t write, the analogy doesn’t seem to fit anyway. I have written about dogs on occasion.)

So as we celebrate Labor Day, it would be nice if everyone could find work that not only paid the bills, but they also found enjoyable. Something about which to feel enthused and passionate. For some that’s a fantasy, an impossible dream. But it’s still something worth aspiring to.

At the same time, there’s another kind of work worthy of consideration, work with results that will endure past the next deadline and won’t have to be revised or redone when the boss says so. It’s work that will last forever.

Jesus described this in John 6:27 when He said, “Do not work for the food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.” Then He added, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.” This doesn’t mean simple intellectual assent, but transforming faith, since anyone that has truly met Jesus Christ can never be the same.

We invest our working hours to earn money to buy food that will consumed and immediately forgotten. That’s necessary, of course. But sometimes we keep fruit, milk, vegetables and bread too long and have to throw them away. There’s nothing quite like the fragrant aroma of rotten eggs or spoiled potatoes, right?

So we’re to work for “food that endures to eternal life” – what’s that? This has a number of meanings and applications, but one thing for certain: Jesus was discouraging us from devoting 100% attention to the pursuit of position, prestige and promotions, or material targets like houses, cars and toys, things we have one day and can easily lose the next.

That’s why Christ also said, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21).

Are the activities you’re engaged in – your work, as well as hobbies and pastimes, everything that consumes your time and energy – things that will enhance your life and the lives of others not just for today, but for eternity? If so, that’s noble, worthwhile work. Stuff of which legacies are made.