“This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot” (Ecclesiastes 5:18)
Someone recently told me that on the occasion of their retirement, they received the following written note in a card: “After your many years of toiling in the vineyard, you deserve to enjoy yourself by relaxing and reaping the fruits of the harvest and the wine.” On first reading, that statement sounded really good and my friend was sure that the writer meant it to be the highest of compliments after a long, successful career. But as he got to thinking about it, he wasn’t so sure he wanted to rest on his laurels. While on the one hand he was done with the stresses of his life-long career, he also believed there were many areas of work that would occupy his days ahead. As long as he was physically able to do so, he wanted work to be a part of his daily routine. For many, the only goal of work is to maintain an adequate living during those years when the mind and body will allow you to be most productive, saving enough so that when you reach the golden years of retirement you no longer have to work to survive.
These days, many workers feel that they are undervalued both in terms of their compensation as well as the manner in which they are frequently treated by their employer. But that may not be new. Jesus told a parable about the workers in a vineyard (Matthew 20:1-7). He used the example of a landowner who went out early in the day to hire men to work in his vineyard. They agreed upon a wage, and the men went to work. At several points throughout the day, he hired additional workers, stating that he would pay them fairly. “That evening he told the foreman to call the workers in and pay them, beginning with the last workers first. When those hired at five o’clock were paid, each received a full day’s wage. When those hired first came to get their pay, they assumed they would receive more. But they, too, were paid a day’s wage. When they received their pay, they protested to the owner, ‘Those people worked only one hour, and yet you’ve paid them just as much as you paid us who worked all day in the scorching heat.’ “He answered one of them, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair! Didn’t you agree to work all day for the usual wage? Take your money and go. I wanted to pay this last worker the same as you. Is it against the law for me to do what I want with my money? Should you be jealous because I am kind to others?’ “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last” (Matthew 20:8-16).
Fair treatment and feelings of entitlement have obviously been around since the beginning of time. But never has the entitlement mentality been as rampant in our culture as it is today. The political pundits tell us that as elections draw near, the successful candidates will be those who promise the most ‘free stuff’ thereby providing an answer to the question, “What have you done for me lately?” When we allow ourselves to be fooled by this kind of thinking, we should be cautious that it does not also affect our relationship with God; that is, having the attitude that He owes us something. Just the opposite is true. God owes us nothing, and we should be ever-grateful that He doesn’t give us exactly what we deserve. What He provides, He gives out of His unbounding love and grace.
As we celebrate yet another Labor Day, we should recognize that there is no job beneath our dignity as long as it is honest work. We are truly blessed when we are able to find work that serves our fellow man and is equally a labor of love for God. The Apostle Paul says that it is not good to be idle. “We never accepted food from anyone without paying for it. We worked hard day and night so we would not be a burden to any of you. We certainly had the right to ask you to feed us, but we wanted to give you an example to follow” (2 Thessalonians 3:8-9). Those who journey with Christ should likewise portray an accurate reflection of God’s faithfulness and righteousness to the world. The risk for anyone on another road is that they risk losing their path to God. They must realize that when they meet Him face to face, He may be the one asking the question – “What have you done for me lately?”
REFLECTION: How do you rationalize working hard in life whenever you see others experience gain from what you might perceive as unfair entitlements? How do you express Christian love to these individuals?
A NEW LOOKUP DEVOTION IS UPLOADED EACH WEEK. THE NEXT WEEKLY POSTING WILL BE ON SAT., SEPTEMBER 10, 2016. COMMENTS ARE WELCOMED.