Chris and I have been working with our children on personal
responsibility and accountability. They
have been responding well, especially when candy and money is involved. We want them to see that with faithful hard
work, there are rewards. But what kind
of rewards? Is the candy and money
giving them the right message?
God
gave Adam and Eve work in the Garden of Eden, where everything was called
good. Work, like all other creation, has
been twisted by the Enemy of our souls.
We often see it as bad or even worse, some kind of drudgery that God
gave us to do. When all of this work is done, then I can have time for what I want –
rest – play – things that I really would rather spend time doing.
We have
a friend who is always working- he sees a job and does it. Many of us think he takes his work a little
too seriously. He takes great pride in
seeing a job well done, and it blesses his family and friends. Someone asked him if there was ever a job
that he does not want to do. He said
that yes, there were many tasks he does not want to do, but he just tells
himself to do them anyway. And as he
works, he focuses on doing a good job and he does not dwell on how smelly or
dirty or difficult the task may be. This
is the common grace of God in this man.
Why do you say? Because man was
made in the image of God and God gave man work as a blessing, not a curse. Therefore, God graces man to work and to
derive pleasure in his work.
So,
what has Satan done? St. Benedict of medieval
fame recognized this problem. He could
have chosen a life of ease, but he saw no pleasure in it. He told his fellow man that the lowliest of tasks
done to the glory of God blesses both man and God. The monk’s fellow brothers depended on him
for their food and the surrounding people depended on him for hard to find
medicine and the life giving Word of God.
Benedict spoke harshly to his fellow learned monks and priests who chose
to elevate themselves above work because of their “priestly” calling.
Now,
the life that devotes itself to hard work and sacrifice to God is a full life,
a busy life, and an ever-expanding life.
The life that embraces both work and devotion is hard to find. This life does not have the goal of
entertainment and rest in mind. True rest comes through Christ alone. Work must be done while it is still day, for
when the night comes, the plow must stop, the sheep go into their pen, and the
plowman sleeps. Work comes to a
stop. Oh the hours upon hours spent
thinking and striving toward ease. I
often ask myself, what would my Grandmother, who lived a short life,
think? Would she push through, would she
put that thought aside, would she let go of the temporal to hold on to the
eternal?
We are
not given the length of our days. Some
of us will have many, others of us few.
But all of us have a God-given work to do. Remember what we were told to pray? Lord, send out laborers. But, that was about the spreading of gospel
seed, not changing diapers – right? All
that I do, all that I do, to the
glory of God.
The pastor preaches to his children
when he takes the trash out and the missionary evangelizes when she hangs out the
laundry. How? It is all in one - all to the praise of His
glorious grace! We are to speak as we
walk by the way, as we sit, and as we lay down.
We are to always be pointing to Jesus.
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus – a constant
refrain.
And so,
we are discovering the gospel in the reformation of work in our home. We see how to work with those that are hard to
work with, we clean up after those who do nothing but make messes, and we stay
with a task until the work is done. It
is transformation of body, mind, and soul.
We have spent more time together, resulting in more opportunities to
address sin, to ask forgiveness, and to point to Jesus.
Chris
and I took the children to the movies yesterday to celebrate a job well done at
home. We all arrived with smiles and
great anticipation. We were met with
long lines and confusion - and so the grumbling began. When the movie was over and the popcorn was
eaten, the cries of more, more
came. The temporal reward was not rooted
in the eternal. It did not satisfy. Only when sleep came did we begin to recover
peace in our home.
Chris
and I talked over why such ungratefulness.
After contemplating this question, I believe that we have not been enjoying
the work for work’s sake. Do we rejoice
in whatever task we have before us or do we see the work as a hurdle to get
over to get to what we believe will really give us joy.
Now, I do believe that God has
given us all things to enjoy in Him.
Jesus liked a good party and a good conversation and he rested too. But He also did not look to the things this
world has exalted to satisfy His soul.
If we can praise God for the movie, for the popcorn, for time to enjoy a
rest from our labor ~ if we can enjoy the circus and wave good-bye as the
circus train leaves town and then return to joyfully serving the Maker of
Heaven and Earth, than good! If we moan
and cry and long to stay in our seats eating popcorn and peanuts - if our eyes
long to keep the dancing elephants and trapeze artists in view - then we need
to speak the truth of God to our hearts.
The Giver of the gift is what we praise, not the gift.
And so,
today, I am listening to our hearts. What are we really saying in our home today?
Who is receiving the praise, and what is being glorified? Am I rejoicing in the opportunity to wash and
sweep and tidy because it is what God has given me to do? God gives me good to do, not bad - and we
know that He is always shaping,
always working. I am thankful He has not
yet completed His work in me. Oh, so
thankful. ~ Your
Fellow Sojourner
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