The Glory of Work
My daughter, Tabitha, took a course in college where she was told that Germans like to "Verk, Verk, Verk!" I've got an awful lot of German in me, but that gene must have skipped me.
God designed us to work, and He set the example for us. He's told us that He worked first, six days, to be exact. And then, He was wise enough to rest. Like much in life, work should be kept in balance. Though I've teased my husband at times about his strict adherence to not working on a Sunday, I'm actually glad he set that example, because now my sons have followed in his footsteps. This is important because they each have their own businesses and it is easy to get out of balance by overworking, to the detriment of marriage and family.
Glory, in the Old Testament, basically means weighty. So, think of how weighty work really is. For starters, it often takes a great deal of energy and money to prepare for a career. Important decisions need to be made all along the way. Shall I take the vocational or academic path? What will I do after graduation to further prepare me? Are their jobs in my area, or will I have to move in order to pursue my chosen field?
There is the time element involved with work. Generally, it is at the hub of our lives, because in addition to working 40 hours a week,or so, there is travel time as well, not leaving a very big margin in the day.
For mothers working at home, the job is often endless, particularly for those with small children. Laundry, cleaning, and food preparation, just for starters, then there is also the teaching and training of the children, decoration of the home, shopping, and planning for special occasions. Of course, if she is working both inside and outside of the home, she essentially has time for nothing else but work.
Consider, too, what happens when we refuse to do that which we are commissioned to do. Laziness can result in not having enough money for the basic necessities of life - food, clothing, shelter, and transportation. Or, it may result in the neglect of children, living on cereal, or dirt and clutter throughout the home. Clearly, work is weighty business.
One of my favorite quotes about work is by Elisabeth Elliot. She said, "This job has been given to me to do. Therefore, it is a gift. Therefore, it is a privilege. Therefore, it is an offering I may make to God. Therefore, it is to be done gladly if it is done for Him. Here, not somewhere else, I may learn God's way. In this job, not in some other, God looks for faithfulness." Amen.
God designed us to work, and He set the example for us. He's told us that He worked first, six days, to be exact. And then, He was wise enough to rest. Like much in life, work should be kept in balance. Though I've teased my husband at times about his strict adherence to not working on a Sunday, I'm actually glad he set that example, because now my sons have followed in his footsteps. This is important because they each have their own businesses and it is easy to get out of balance by overworking, to the detriment of marriage and family.
Glory, in the Old Testament, basically means weighty. So, think of how weighty work really is. For starters, it often takes a great deal of energy and money to prepare for a career. Important decisions need to be made all along the way. Shall I take the vocational or academic path? What will I do after graduation to further prepare me? Are their jobs in my area, or will I have to move in order to pursue my chosen field?
There is the time element involved with work. Generally, it is at the hub of our lives, because in addition to working 40 hours a week,or so, there is travel time as well, not leaving a very big margin in the day.
For mothers working at home, the job is often endless, particularly for those with small children. Laundry, cleaning, and food preparation, just for starters, then there is also the teaching and training of the children, decoration of the home, shopping, and planning for special occasions. Of course, if she is working both inside and outside of the home, she essentially has time for nothing else but work.
Consider, too, what happens when we refuse to do that which we are commissioned to do. Laziness can result in not having enough money for the basic necessities of life - food, clothing, shelter, and transportation. Or, it may result in the neglect of children, living on cereal, or dirt and clutter throughout the home. Clearly, work is weighty business.
One of my favorite quotes about work is by Elisabeth Elliot. She said, "This job has been given to me to do. Therefore, it is a gift. Therefore, it is a privilege. Therefore, it is an offering I may make to God. Therefore, it is to be done gladly if it is done for Him. Here, not somewhere else, I may learn God's way. In this job, not in some other, God looks for faithfulness." Amen.
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