“So I realized there is nothing better for us than to find joy in the work we do, for work is its own reward. For who will bring us back to see what will be after we are gone?” -Ecclesiastes 3:22 [Voice]

A Time to Think… 
“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.”  -Martin Luther-German theologian, religious reformer

Labor Day’s Beginning
Labor Day was established as a national federal holiday on June 28, 1894, when President Grover Cleveland signed a law making the first Monday in September a legal holiday to honor workers’ contributions to the country. 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.

So, on this Labor Day remember: work is full of the dignity and glory of God. It’s not a curse, it’s 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 a 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.