Labor Day-who is our Master? Whom should we serve?
Labor Day was set originally to value the contributions employees make and ponder the goodness and power it brings to our lives. However, it was also intended to bring to mind the painful working conditions, demands, discriminations, and exploitations it fosters. Many who are unemployed or unable to work also struggle through the concept differently.
God said to our first parents and it is recorded in Genesis 3:19, “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.”
Adam had work to do in the garden even before he sinned, but apparently, he enjoyed it and the works were pleasant to do because he had the ongoing presence of God in the cool of the day and the Words and instructions he received on an ongoing basis. However, now after the fall due to the original sin committed by our first parents, the labor becomes hard and painful based on what is called the spiritual death which means the loss of sweet communication/fellowship he once had with God and the verdict of God.
Humans now will have to eat food by the sweat of their food, until they return to the ground. No escape from the aspect of pain/ and exploitation in the work is possible. It will continue and man will have to work hard amid it all until he dies, and his physical body is taken to the ground. God decreed the way of life after the rebellion of our first parents.
However, I was also reminded of what Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” To eat bread, we work. But the problem is that bread or food nourishes only our external part which is called the body. According to the creation narrative in Genesis 2, man became a living being, not just out of the dust God used for his creation, but more importantly he became a living being by the breath of life God breathed into his nostrils. Thus, he became a living being. It makes sense what Jesus said when he said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” Our spirit can be nourished not just by the food, but more importantly only by the Word of God.
Therefore, we need to work to feed our physical body and pasture God’s word to nourish our soul and spirit. We have to serve our earthly masters-employers faithfully- even if they are harsh and unreasoning. The Scripture admonishes us to “submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human authority: whether to the emperor, as the supreme authority…”. Verse 18 says, “In reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate but also to those who are harsh.”
Alternatively, it warns the employers and says, “And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.” Ephesians 6:9.
At the final outset, whom will we serve is the point to ponder on this Labor Day as always on all Labor Days. The Bible claims in the above-quoted passage in Ephesians that God in heaven is the master of both employers and employees, and there is no favoritism with Him. If God is the master of both, our first allegiance must be to God.
Joshua the assigned mighty leader of Israel, after the departure of the towering leadership of Moses, brought the people into the promised land by conquering enemies one after another, understood whom we should serve, and he declared it clearly and challenged his people on the topic.
Joshua 24:14-15 describes the event. He assembled all the tribes of Israel in a place called Shechem. He summoned elders, judges, and officials of Israel and declared this-
“Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
Choose this day whom you will serve, but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord was his decision and determination.
When you and I first submit to God and listen to His counsels and Words, the work becomes not that hard. Labor Day reminds us of the history of the reason for the painfulness and harshness of work, motivates us to think about the benefits/rewards/blessings of work that bring to our lives, and points to the way to get all success in our work in God’s way- submission to God and God allowed/appointed authorities.
Moreover, it also reveals to us the truth- we cannot live by work and food alone, and most importantly, by constant communication/fellowship with God, and this is accomplished by listening to his eternal Word in the Bible and spending time in prayer.
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