Sept 1 - 1 Kings 9:15

This is the account

of the forced labor Solomon used

to build the Temple and the palace.

1 Kings 9:15

 

It’s Labor Day.

 

Therefore, I went seeking for a verse about labor.

 

I didn’t expect such a depressing verse!

 

Yet isn’t that how many of us think about Labor? It’s “forced.”

 

Because we need a paycheck, we have to work. The boss is a slave driver. We’re chained to our desk. Even church “work” can become a burden. (Indeed, it took forced labor to get the Temple built.)

 

If you struggle with a burdensome view of work, I invite you to glance at God’s “work.” On the first six days, God did what? He created! It was fun! He was looping rings around Saturn and inventing duck-billed platypi! He painted in bold colors – the blue of the sky and the ruby of the stone. He stretched sound waves until they fit beautifully in harmonious (and mathematical) vibrations.

 

Not all human jobs are fun. But they’re absolutely deadly when we’ve outfitted our spirit with complaint. Whatever your job, I invite you to infuse it with creativity – even if you’re “just” stacking tomatoes on a grocery shelf. When you interact with people at work, I invite you to see in front of you a child that God loves  -- even if your job is in the complaint department at Wal-mart. I invite you to keep learning on the job – because not only will it enrich your mind, but it will bless your company.

 

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who’s increasingly learning

that life is 10% what happens

and 90% what we make of it