"Cursed is he who does the work of the Lord with slackness" (cf. Jer. 48:10).
".. 'I am engaged in a great work [project] so I can't come [down right now!]. Why should I stop working to come and meet with you?'" (Cf. Neh. 6:3, NLT).
"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might..." (Eccl. 9:10, ESV).
"Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need" (Eph. 4:28, ESV).
"In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty" (Prv. 14:23, ESV).
Work ethic has been called the Protestant work ethic for centuries. In 1607 Captain John Smith of Jamestown announced that he who wouldn't work will not eat after the admonition in 2 Thess. 3:10. It was Martin Luther who first brought dignity to work, for it had been considered a curse and fit for slaves by the classic philosophers. All that mattered was whether one did it to the glory of God--it didn't matter the kind or manner of a work project.
During the Holocaust in a concentration camp at Dachau, the Nazis tried to entice the Jews to work by telling them "Arbeit Macht Frei" or that work makes one free--it was a sham to motivate. The Germans had a number of wise proverbs including "Arbeit Ehrt" or work dignify; "Arbeit Macht das Leben Suss," or work makes life sweet. Work is meant to be a blessing just like food and drink according to Eccl. 3:13.
By way of illustration: There is one well-known anecdote of a man who asks three men at a stone quarry and asks them what they are doing: one says, "Can't you see? I'm cutting stones!" another says, "I'm earning 100 lbs a week!" and the last one has a divine viewpoint and says, "I'm building a cathedral!" Our perspective on our tasks makes all the difference and take on a new light as a witness to the world!
Jesus said, "I have ... [completed] the work you gave me to do..." (cf. John 17:4)--what a sigh of relief! Nehemiah said, "For the people had a mind to work." (Cf. Neh. 4:6)--God can give intrinsic as well as extrinsic motivation and incentive to work, "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord Almighty" (Cf. Zech. 4:6). We are as inspired as our dreams and goals--aim high, not low--if you aim for nothing you will get nowhere.
We must all be willing to do humble work, in the so-called "order of the towel," as when Jesus took one to do the foot-washing in the Upper Room. There is no caste system or class consciousness in Christ, as He leveled the playing field and made us all one in Christ, whether slave or free.
We must learn to do whatever we do with all our heart as unto the Lord, and to His glory, learning to love what we do, thus being a light to the world. King George III said that we should aim not to do what we love but love what we do! It's not wrong to take pride in one's vocation or work, for we will do our best and have extra motivation. When we work, we are expressing God's image in us--work is no curse but part of God's plan and there will be work in heaven.
It has been said that man is meant and "hard-wired for work" (according to Dr. Carl F. H. Henry), and cannot live without meaningful work or tasks to complete--we're not meant for idleness. We must be wise to redeem the time for God, not wasting it (cf. Eph. 5:16). Augustine of Hippo said, "to work is to pray!" We all must learn to stay out of trouble, for idleness can be the devil's tool and workshop! We are happiest when we are busy doing the Lord's work! Lack of stimulating work is debilitating--sloth (acedia) or idleness is one of the Seven Deadly Sins.
God does not call us to success but to faithfulness, according to Mother Teresa of Calcutta, recipient of the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize and now canonized. The Bible condemns selfish ambition, but not godly pursuits. Jer. 45:5 says, "Do you seek great things for yourself? Seek them not." Everyone has a niche and a calling with one or more talents to use for God. We should never compare ourselves with others but seek faithfulness in our God-given chores, tasks, duties, and errands. "Whatever our hand finds to do, do it with all our might," says Ecclesiastes 9:10.
And Col. 1:10 equates work with faith and says to "bear fruit in every good work, increasing in the knowledge of God." We all should hope to find a "labor of love" to complete God's will. We may retire from our jobs, but not God's service! In a sense, our job is our workbench of worship and a dress rehearsal for heaven. Teddy Roosevelt said that there's never been a man who led a life of ease whose name was worth remembering.
One anecdote from St. Francis of Assisi is in order: He was busy doing his gardening at the monastery and was asked what he'd do if he only had thirty minutes to live. He said, "I'd finish this row!" O, that we all could die doing what we love--doing God's will and busy at the Lord's work! He had a handle on his purpose and was ready to meet the Lord at any time. In conclusion, ask yourself: "Who are you working for? The man, the union, or the Lord? Are you a team player? Do you seek excellence in the Lord's work? Do you go to work to worship and pray as well as work? Soli Deo Gloria!
".. 'I am engaged in a great work [project] so I can't come [down right now!]. Why should I stop working to come and meet with you?'" (Cf. Neh. 6:3, NLT).
"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might..." (Eccl. 9:10, ESV).
"Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need" (Eph. 4:28, ESV).
"In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty" (Prv. 14:23, ESV).
Work ethic has been called the Protestant work ethic for centuries. In 1607 Captain John Smith of Jamestown announced that he who wouldn't work will not eat after the admonition in 2 Thess. 3:10. It was Martin Luther who first brought dignity to work, for it had been considered a curse and fit for slaves by the classic philosophers. All that mattered was whether one did it to the glory of God--it didn't matter the kind or manner of a work project.
During the Holocaust in a concentration camp at Dachau, the Nazis tried to entice the Jews to work by telling them "Arbeit Macht Frei" or that work makes one free--it was a sham to motivate. The Germans had a number of wise proverbs including "Arbeit Ehrt" or work dignify; "Arbeit Macht das Leben Suss," or work makes life sweet. Work is meant to be a blessing just like food and drink according to Eccl. 3:13.
By way of illustration: There is one well-known anecdote of a man who asks three men at a stone quarry and asks them what they are doing: one says, "Can't you see? I'm cutting stones!" another says, "I'm earning 100 lbs a week!" and the last one has a divine viewpoint and says, "I'm building a cathedral!" Our perspective on our tasks makes all the difference and take on a new light as a witness to the world!
Jesus said, "I have ... [completed] the work you gave me to do..." (cf. John 17:4)--what a sigh of relief! Nehemiah said, "For the people had a mind to work." (Cf. Neh. 4:6)--God can give intrinsic as well as extrinsic motivation and incentive to work, "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord Almighty" (Cf. Zech. 4:6). We are as inspired as our dreams and goals--aim high, not low--if you aim for nothing you will get nowhere.
We must all be willing to do humble work, in the so-called "order of the towel," as when Jesus took one to do the foot-washing in the Upper Room. There is no caste system or class consciousness in Christ, as He leveled the playing field and made us all one in Christ, whether slave or free.
We must learn to do whatever we do with all our heart as unto the Lord, and to His glory, learning to love what we do, thus being a light to the world. King George III said that we should aim not to do what we love but love what we do! It's not wrong to take pride in one's vocation or work, for we will do our best and have extra motivation. When we work, we are expressing God's image in us--work is no curse but part of God's plan and there will be work in heaven.
It has been said that man is meant and "hard-wired for work" (according to Dr. Carl F. H. Henry), and cannot live without meaningful work or tasks to complete--we're not meant for idleness. We must be wise to redeem the time for God, not wasting it (cf. Eph. 5:16). Augustine of Hippo said, "to work is to pray!" We all must learn to stay out of trouble, for idleness can be the devil's tool and workshop! We are happiest when we are busy doing the Lord's work! Lack of stimulating work is debilitating--sloth (acedia) or idleness is one of the Seven Deadly Sins.
God does not call us to success but to faithfulness, according to Mother Teresa of Calcutta, recipient of the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize and now canonized. The Bible condemns selfish ambition, but not godly pursuits. Jer. 45:5 says, "Do you seek great things for yourself? Seek them not." Everyone has a niche and a calling with one or more talents to use for God. We should never compare ourselves with others but seek faithfulness in our God-given chores, tasks, duties, and errands. "Whatever our hand finds to do, do it with all our might," says Ecclesiastes 9:10.
And Col. 1:10 equates work with faith and says to "bear fruit in every good work, increasing in the knowledge of God." We all should hope to find a "labor of love" to complete God's will. We may retire from our jobs, but not God's service! In a sense, our job is our workbench of worship and a dress rehearsal for heaven. Teddy Roosevelt said that there's never been a man who led a life of ease whose name was worth remembering.
One anecdote from St. Francis of Assisi is in order: He was busy doing his gardening at the monastery and was asked what he'd do if he only had thirty minutes to live. He said, "I'd finish this row!" O, that we all could die doing what we love--doing God's will and busy at the Lord's work! He had a handle on his purpose and was ready to meet the Lord at any time. In conclusion, ask yourself: "Who are you working for? The man, the union, or the Lord? Are you a team player? Do you seek excellence in the Lord's work? Do you go to work to worship and pray as well as work? Soli Deo Gloria!
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