Title: The Privilege of Work - Labor Day

Date: 2007-09-02

Reference: Mark 6: 1-6

"Shortly after Booker T. Washington became head of the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama, he was walking past the house of a wealthy family. The woman of the house, assuming Washington was one of the yard workers her husband hired, asked him to chop some wood for her. Professor Washington smiled, nodded, took off his coat and chopped the wood. As he carried an arm load of wood into the kitchen one of the cooks recognized him and rushed off to tell her mistress his identity.

The next morning the woman appeared in Washington’s office. She apologized saying: “I didn’t know it was you I put to work.” Washington replied: “It’s all right madam. I like to work and I am happy to do favors for my friends.” Washington believed a great person is always willing to be little. The woman was so taken with his gracious spirit and manner and willingness to forgive that she became a generous benefactor to the institution. She persuaded many of her wealthy friends to donate as well. In the end, Washington raised much more money for the institute from this one act of chopping wood as he did from any fund raising event. A great leader is never beyond hard work. A willingness to serve others is the essence of true leadership As we consider our labors this weekend we affirm what we have always known.There is no substitute for hard work. The 22nd Proverb says: “If you do your job well you will work for a ruler and never be a slave.” Proverb 12 says: “The work of a man’s hand comes back to him. “ In other words, hard work is noticed.

Work opens every door. Work is the great equalizer in the world. With hard work all things are possible. To the young work brings hope. To those in middle years work brings confidence. And to the aged rest. Work is the touchstone for progress. Work is the measure of success in everyday life. God wants his people to work hard and to work gracefully not grudgingly. God knows work is a necessity for maintaining anything of lasting value.

The Bible offers us examples of men and women who did their work well, who worked for the glory of God. Bob the Bible College Student was taking a final exam. He was cruising through the questions on the life of Paul. One question stopped him cold. The question was: “In 150 to 200 words, describe Paul’s attitude toward Epap hro di tus. Bob thought this must be Paul’s physical ailment, the thorn in the flesh. Bob wrote an appropriate and lengthy explanation.

To his chagrin Bob the Bible College Student learned Epah hro di tus was not a dreaded disease but a dedicated disciple of Jesus Christ. Paul’s letter to the Phil. Described this remarkable man as a Christian who worked hard and could always be counted on. In any situation he was true and reliable. Phil. Describes him as a faithful worker, a solder, and messenger.

It doesn’t matter if the world remembers our name or not. What matters is that God remembers us, and what we did in life. God has given each and every one of us spiritual abilities, talents, and gifts. God made an investment in each of us and expects a return on that investment. If we do not use our talents other people will be cheated because we are not contributing what God has uniquely equipped us to do.

Just because we cannot do the spectacular, we are not excused from doing what we can. I read about New Life Church calling a new Senior Minister. The new Senior Minister of the largest church in the state is only 40 years old. I wondered, when I read this story, why I had not been contacted. I guess I’ll never be on the short list of any mega church search committee, but God has called me to work hard and do my best where I am planted. That is all that matters for anyone of us.

Faithfulness to God is doing what I can do without dwelling on what is impossible for me to do. Faithfulness depends on what I do with what I have. I am not responsible to sing solos if God has not given me that gift. But I am responsible to use the gifts and talents God has given me.

Faithfulness counts with God. Keeping promises, using our talents, doing our jobs well. Representing Christ in the world around us. Doing our best at work. If any of us was responsible for hiring workers the number one quality we would look for is dependability. I’ve filled out many reference forms for people applying for jobs, schools, and various awards and honors. Every one of those forms asks about dependability, trustworthiness, punctuality, reliability, consistency,. Potential employers all want to know about a person’s faithfulness and work habits.

Jesus said: “Whoever can be trusted with very little can be trusted with much.” Life is largely made up of little things. So if you are not faithful with little things you will not be faithful in most of life. We must learn to handle the small things with the same regard as the big things. We see everything in life as being sacred.

The Bible teaches us to work for a living. To work hard to provide for the needs of our family. When we take a job we are selling our time to someone who will pay us for it. The job anyone of us has now may just be a means to an end. It may not be the job you will always have. It may not end up being your career. But it’s your job now.

The person who trusted you and who gave you your position and who pays you has the right to expect your very best effort. If you cannot give that best effort do something else. I’ll never understand how workers feel they are doing employers a favor by doing the job they are paid to do. Nor do I understand employers who take unfair advantage of their works making life unnecessarily difficult for them.

What is your word, your reputation worth? They should be worth a great deal as it’s all we really have. Someone has said: “Every job is a self portrait of the person who did it. We should all attempt to autograph our work with excellence.” Wherever we work, whatever we do we find ourselves representing Jesus. Our place of business, our workplace is also our place of ministry. The people we come into contact with are persons we share Christ with.

I found some quotes on work I’d like to share: Success depends on your being first, best, or different. Before you have an argument with your boss, take a good look at both sides. His side and the outside. An honest executive is one who shares the credit with the person who did the work. There is no job so simple that it cannot be done wrong. Anyone who thinks the customer is not important should try doing without him for 90 days. The best way to appreciate your job is to imagine yourself without a job. Choose a job you love and you will never work a day in your life.

It’s just the little difference between the good and the best that makes the difference.

Just the little touches after the average person would quit that makes the master’s fame.

I believe our American Work Ethic has made us the strongest, healthiest nation in the world. I also believe we are in danger of losing our reputation. In many circles the American Work ethic is being replaced by a sense of entitlement. We believe we are entitled to cradle to grave care paid for by someone else. I also believe the only people who will be successful in the long run are those who are willing to work hard. Those who are willing, ready, and able to take advantage of opportunities afforded them by God. Jesus worked hard for a living. He worked for years in a carpenter’s shop. On one occasion when he returned home to Nazareth he entered the synagogue and taught. The people there had known him for 30 years. They had seen him at work in the wood shop.

God wanted Jesus to experience everything we experience including the satisfaction of working for our living. Jesus did quality work as people remembered him as the carpenter who worked among us for nearly twenty years. Jesus used his experience in the work a day world to formulate his teachings on faithfulness and duty.

Jesus went on to three very successful years of ministry. In that time he changed the world forever. Jesus accomplished more in three years of ministry than any other minister would accomplish in an entire career. All four Gospels tell us of the many wonderful things Jesus did. At the end of John’s Gospel we are told: “Jesus did many other things. If they were all written in books I don’t suppose there would be room enough in all the world for all those books.”

We know Jesus most lasting work was completed upon the cross.

From the cross, Jesus declared: “It Is Finished.” Referring to the work of salvation, he said: “It Is Finished.” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. In the work of salvation: Jesus paid a debt he did not own, because we owed a debt we could never pay.

We are thankful for the work of Jesus and we are thankful for work he calls us to do.

On this Labor Day we remember ourselves and others in regard to our daily work. Whether we work in an office or a coal mine; in a factory or field, with our mind or hands, in a classroom or boardroom in a laboratory or a construction site, we know we are cooperating with God as we support our families and make the world a better place. We are thankful for the ability to think, for the talent to create, for the skill to build and the ability to communicate and all the other gifts necessary for earning a living. We remember those who are anxious about their jobs for any reason. Those who have a conflict at work. We ask God for help in whatever situation we find ourselves to be committed to Jesus and to be good stewards of the time and talents he has given us. ""