Joy in Working: Labor Day

   It is Labor Day, a day that we think about not working. But, I'm going to rain on your parade and talk about work. I am a teacher and a coach. Therefore, I hear a lot of complains about work whether that be from co-workers, students, or players. Why do I hear so many complaints? Should I hear so many complaints?
   Way back, at the beginning of time and the creation of the universe, God made everything and it was good (Genesis 1). God is smart and caring. He did not create anything that did not serve a purpose in the universe or on earth. He created Adam to have dominion over all the earth. In Genesis 2:15 we read why Adam was put in the Garden: "The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it."
   Hold up, Adam had to work before the fall? Yes, and since God created everything and said that "it was good" then that means work is good. We don't read much about Adam working in the Garden before the fall but we do know that he named the animals, which was a job God gave him. Do you think Adam complained about it? No, Adam was happy to be given a purpose/job. He got to be a leader on earth and walk with the ultimate leader/boss.
   What happened? How did we get from being joyful in our work to complaining? The answer is the fall, and sin. Work suddenly got really difficult because Adam and Eve chose to disobey God. Genesis 3:17-19 says: "Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”
   Thus, we began to have hard work. That is why we complain about work. It is hard and it hurts our bodies. Yet, God created it to be good. When children grow up what do they do? They get a job. Even when children are little they work by doing chores or finding odd jobs to make money. Work is to be a good thing. Should we complain about doing work? No, because God created it to be good. 

   So, do you complain too much about work? What can you do to find joy in work?

   Image from here. 

Doing Your Best in the Little Things: Labor Day

   Many times when Labor Day rolls around we all say: "Yes! A three day weekend. I get to relax an extra day and not think about work." I'm not going to lie, it is nice to have an extra day off. But, I usually end up working in one way or another on Labor Day. I may do some things for school, I may do chores around the house, I may make food for myself or others, etc. That's all work. Even on Labor Day we are working.
   We don't just work when we go to work. We do little things every day that are work. And, even if we are working on the little things, we are to give our best. I was once told a story that embodies this idea.
One time a woman, let's call her Tessa, was a counselor at a camp. One of the jobs she was given was to put the kids bed sheets on the beds before the kids came. Time was short before the kids showed up so she tried to work fast. She had put on at least 70 sheets and was beginning to tire of doing the same task. She put a sheet on and realized the sheet was inside out. She looked at the time and thought, "I need to finish all these other beds. It will not be that bad if the sheet is inside out." She left the sheet as is and kept working on the other beds.
   She got about 10 more beds done then thought back to that 1 bed. She knew she had done a good job on 79 beds out of 80. But she did not do her best on that 1. She felt guilty for not giving her best on that 1. Even though she knew it would take extra time and effort she went back to the room and fixed the bed. Did anyone notice that she fixed the bed? No. Would anyone have noticed that the bed was inside out if she wouldn't have fixed it? Maybe not. But if she would not have gone back to fix the bed she wouldn't have been giving her best for God.
   See, Tessa was following Colossians 3:23-24 which says: "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ." That 1 bed may not have mattered to the child who slept on it, the parents who let that child come to camp, the counselor who was in that room, or the camp director. But, that 1 bed matters to God. Why does a bed matter to God? It matters because we are to give out best to God in ALL we do.
   That means that when you are at work and getting tired of doing the same tasks you still do your best, even if it's hard. That means that if you are mowing the lawn and you realize you miss a spot you go back to get it. Not because you think you will get in trouble, but because you are mowing the lawn for God. That means that if you are cleaning the bathroom and you miss a huge smudge you go back and clean it. Not because you are worried that someone will notice it, but because you are cleaning that bathroom for God.
   Will your best look the same every day? Probably not, but you can still give your best not for man, not to get glory yourself, but to reflect God's glory.
   So, are you giving your best effort for God? How can you reflect God's glory by giving your best for God today?
 Image from here.

You Gotta Slow Down: Labor Day

   Have you ever said to yourself: "I wish I had more time to relax," "I'm too busy to relax," or "I have too much work and I'm exhausted." If you are like me, you have probably said something along those lines before. I have found that as we get older we just become more and more busy. That's probably why there's so much anxiety, stress, and crankiness nowadays.
   I think that we are forgetting something that is very important, not just to our physical health, but our mental health as well. We need rest. This is not a want it is a need. In Genesis 2:2 God does something we may not expect "On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work." Did you catch that? God rested after his work was complete. Does God need to rest? No, he doesn't. Why did he rest? Because, he is the ultimate example for us. He rested because we are to rest. God wants us to work and do our best. But, if we don't rest, or we don't spend time with God, we will get burned out.
   This idea reminds me of something my Aunt used to have. She had this plastic turtle with rubber legs that moved. I thought is was so cool because I didn't have a real pet at the time (bare in mind I was like 5 when I first saw it). The turtle also sang a song that went like this: "You gotta slow down, you're moving too fast. You gotta slow down, let go of the past. You're working too hard, you know it's true. You gotta slow down, and take some time for you."
   Yes, work is important. God calls us to work hard to reflect his glory. But, he also knows we need rest. If we overwork ourselves it will harm our mental and physical health. As well as, we will not do as well at our work and probably hurt others emotionally. That's why we need to listen to the turtle. We need to slow down. We need to relax. We need to spend time with God. It's a hard balance, but an important one nonetheless.
   So, are you overworking yourself? Do you spend time with God each day? What can you do to make sure you rest when you need it?

   2 Timothy 3:16 and Exodus 34:21

   Image from here.

Day of Rest: Labor Day

   Labor day: a day we take a break from work. For some people, they welcome the break. For others, they think the day is just a waste of time.

   In America, especially, I think we have a problem. Children do not get to spend time with their parents because parents work too much. College students need to work and go to school at the same time because they cannot afford their tuition. Friends cannot get together with friends because they are too busy with their jobs. Is work a bad thing? No, but I think we have become too busy.
   God created everything in 6 days. On the 7th day he rested. Did he rest because he needed it? No, he rested because he wanted to be an example for us. God knew that we would need rest.
   But, in America, we work all the time. Sometimes, when people work too much, it becomes unhealthy. People may work a lot for different reasons. They may work too much because they need money for bills. They may work too much because it brings them joy and they are good at their job. They may work too much because it keeps them from focusing on their problems. Or, they may work too much because work/money has become their idol. Any of these answers can be detrimental to people's health, family, friends, and relationship with God.
   If God rested to be an example for us, why can't we rest? We could use all the excuses in the world. But at the end of your life do you want to be alone with all your money, or do you want to have those you love around you and know that you have a good relationship with God? It is vital that Christians have a relationship with God because all of this is temporary. The only thing that truly matters at the end of our lives is that we have accepted Christ. Christians are called to follow Jesus' example. Even Jesus rested, why can't we?
   So, do you work too much? What can you do to be sure you are resting and following God?

   Genesis 2:2-3, Mark 2:27, Psalm 127:2

   Image from here. 

Time to Slow Down

   Tick Tock, Tick Tock, Tick Tock. What was your first thought when you read that sentence? It was probably either clock or time. Time: it is a precious thing. Every day we have 24 hours to get things done. Every hour we have 60 minutes to fill with our busy lives. And, every minute we have 60 seconds to do something. But, have you ever stopped to think about how busy your life actually is?

   In America it seems like people are always on the go. We don’t have time to sit and talk. We don’t have time to wait in line. We don’t have patience. I admit that I too struggle with patience. I actually like to be busy and I know other people who like to as well. Why is that? Maybe it is because I want to make every moment count. Maybe it is because I know how little time I will actually spend on earth. Maybe it is because I know I need to provide for myself. Or, maybe it is because I am actually afraid of slowing down.

   I know that there have been times where I have just been sitting around doing nothing. Then I think to myself I could be doing so much right now. That’s when I remember an experiment one of my professors did. He walked in the room and said nothing. We all looked at the time finally and realized that class started five minutes ago. Everyone in the class got quiet. But, the professor still didn’t say anything; he just stood there and smiled. Some people started giggling, others asked what was going on, but I was silent. After ten minutes the professor said that he was quiet for ten minutes and everyone found that silence awkward. He asked us why is it that we found silence awkward? Then he said that it is probably because everything in our lives is so noisy and busy.

   The professor challenged us to go somewhere and just be silent. And, he wanted us to continue to find places where we could be silent and have solitude. It is a little strange at first; but it is in those times, when I slow down and just listen, that I find peace in the chaos. Yeah, my life is still busy but I am not as stressed as I used to be because I spend that extra time with God. It is important to work hard when we do work; but we shouldn’t spend all of our time working and no time with God. After all he is the one who gave everything we have, including our jobs, in the first place.

   So, this Labor Day I challenge you to slow down and spend some silent time with God; and, to think about how you can continue to slow down throughout the year. You just may be less stressed, be happier, and grow more in God.

   Matthew 6:6, Luke 6:12, Ecclesiastes 3:1-8