The Working Christian – A Labor Day Message

Labor Day’s Beginning

Labor Day is set aside to celebrate the value and dignity of work. The Bible has some concrete things to teach us about work.  Work is not a curse, but part of our created purpose so that we can serve God.  The curse is increased hardship, not work.  In fact, work is a reflection of the God who has been working from the beginning.  By design, work brings various benefits to others and us.  This does not mean that rest is bad.  Idleness is bad but rest is good, endorsed, and even instructed by God.

It is holiday weekend, many enjoying time off, some still had to work. Labor Day been around a long time. The 1st Labor Day parade was on Sep 5th, 1882 in New York City – 20,000 workers carried banners that said – Labor Creates Wealth, 8 hours for work, 8 hours for sleep, 8 hours for recreation. This was the desired situation for all people. After parade, picnics all over with Irish stew, bread, apple pie and ended the day with fireworks.

The idea spread across the country, cities all over having Labor Day. In 1894, congress made Labor Day a Federal Holiday which was signed by Grover Cleveland… A day set aside celebrate the value and dignity of work.

We might not be thinking of this on a weekend like this.  Most of us probably just glad to have some time off. For many, this is a transition from summer to fall routine. We will look at some of what the Bible teaches us about work.

Work is Not a Curse

Somewhere, many got the mistaken idea that work is a curse. For many, the ideal situation is a life of leisure. Some have even idealized Heaven as place of leisure in the clouds. This is not a Biblical idea. Go back to the beginning at look at God’s design.

Genesis 2:15 – The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.”

 Remember that this is before sin came into the world. This is the ideal, before there was any corruption. God put the man in the garden to work. In this ideal situation, man didn’t lounge around all day. There was work to be done.

Genesis 1:26 – “Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

 In our very beginnings, God gave man a job. In our ideal state, no sin, no corruption, there is a job to do. Means that work is not inherently negative thing. We were designed to work, create, design and maintain.

Good Work is a Reflection of God

Does God sit around and do absolutely nothing? Of course not! God has been active from the beginning…

John 5:17 – “In his defense Jesus said to them, ‘My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.’”

God does not sit idly by doing nothing. Jesus, the perfect reflection of God, is also working. We, who were created in the image of God, also work and reflect God. This why Jesus said we must work the works of God as long as it is day…

John 9:4 – “As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.”

We need to realize that work, not idleness, is the glory of God.

Faithful Christian workers adorn the doctrine of God. Reflect the very character of God.  Things such as goodness, honesty, faithfulness and integrity.

God does not produce junk, we shouldn’t either. God is creative, beautiful, as we should be as well. We reflect goodness, excellence, beauty of God in how we work.

In all of our tasks, jobs, our work is service to God…

Martin Luther, a German theologian and religious reformer, understood this as He stated – “The maid who sweeps her kitchen is doing the will of God just as much as the monk who prays — not because she may sing a Christian hymn as she sweeps but because God loves clean floors.  The Christian shoemaker does his Christian duty not by putting little crosses on his shoes, but by making good shoes because God is interested in good craftsmanship.”

Is this true? Is God concerned about good craftsmanship? Take a look at the world around us! Intricate design of the wings of birds so they can fly. The remarkable engineering of the eye to see the Sun just the right distance and size and the Moon just the right size and distance.

All kinds of remarkable craftsmanship in the world. Aren’t you Glad God is a good craftsman? I shudder to think what kind of world without it. Can you imagine if due to design or construction flaw, water caught fire, or we would jump and not come back down?

When you go to work and get a job, it is the same thing. Not only your moral character, but how you do job. When work faithfully, do our jobs well, it is a reflection of God.

There are Benefits to Good Work

People usually do not benefit from idleness. Usually idleness brings all kinds of trouble with it. Here is what the Bible says…

Proverbs 10:4 – “Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.”

 God does not condone idleness. Even the provision for the poor did not come without work…

Leviticus 19:9-10 – “When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God.”

 Why leave it for the poor and aliens? He did not say give hand-outs as work preserves their dignity, and dignity of work. There is definitely a benefit to a good days’ work and the benefit not just personal…

Ephesians 4:28 – “Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.”

Work with hands, performing what is good. Why? So to have something to share with those in need. When we work hard, it benefits others. There is personal benefit, family and even societal benefit. Everyone pitches in, does their share of the work… and this, is a blessing!

Rest is Good After Work

I don’t want to leave impression that rest is bad. Like work, rest also is a reflection of God. After God worked in creating the world, what did He do? God himself rested – Does God get exhausted? I don’t think so… God’s rest, however, may be like an artist that sits back and enjoys his painting after He is finished.

God’s rest is also a model for us…

Exodus 20:11 – “For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”

God set apart the 7th day for Israel as a day of rest. This was to be for their good, not a burden to them. Everyone and every animal to rest. It was to be a day of remembrance, reflection, and refocus.

Conclusion

So, work is full of the dignity and glory of God. It not a curse, it a reflection of God, it is beneficial and rest is good after work. God created us to serve Him through the works of our hands. Whether we’re an engineer, or we sweep floors, we all have place in His kingdom. Do your best, as to the Lord, it honors God… as He is not so unjust as to forget our work we do in His honor.

Work hard, rest well and glorify our God in all that you do! Be good to one another, always stay humble… always stay kind… God Bless!