The Gift of Work

December 28, 2008
“He who enjoys his work never labors” Jim Stovall

My husband Johnny loves to work. Not in the workaholic kind of way but in the pure satisfaction it brings him kind of way. Johnny does an honest day’s work six days a week. Typically he puts in 8 hours at his full time job and 3 – 4 hours at a part time job. Johnny works for the put pleasure and satisfaction it brings him. That is not to say he doesn’t enjoy his leisure time – he does. Johnny loves’ a good cruise and will take a vacation in a red hot minute. But when he was little he received the gift of work from his father. He learned how much pleasure he would derive from a cruise or a vacation when he earned them himself instead of having it handed to him. Somehow he “got” that leisure was a reward for hard work therefore he enjoyed his work all the more. I am reminded of someone else who learned this lesson from his father. Jesus was a carpenters’ son.

He was someone who did manual worked with this hands. In fact, while he was here on earth, he was a carpenter longer than he was a “preacher “. Joseph, Jesus' father, was a carpenter [Matthew 13:55], and Jesus followed the family trade growing up, especially being the firstborn, he would follow in his father's profession. There was a saying among the Jewish men in the nation of Israel: "If you do not teach your son how to work, you teach him how to be a thief." Joseph and Mary were hardly wealthy, and Nazareth was a small remote town. The family of at least 5 sons needed money and building is honest work.

Many of Jesus’ teaching reflect his carpentry background. For example, Jesus spoke about the "narrow gate" that we have to go through. Jesus talked about building a house "upon solid rock" and not "upon the shifting sand" and in Matthew 11:29, Jesus said that his "yoke" was easy. Using carpentry skills Jesus could make a yoke that was comfortable for the animals.

The gift of work is fundamental to who we are, how we life and what contribution we make. Have we learned it and have we passed it on?

T

The Ultimate Gift

December 27, 2008

Every year at Christmas time I read an inspirational book. This year I re-read one from last year. The Ultimate Gift by Jim Stovall. What would you be willing to do to receive your inheritance from your rich uncle? Such is the question Jason Stevens is asking himself as starts a year long journey of self discovery. The journey is a condition of the will in order to receive the inheritance (the ultimate gift). Each month he learns a different life lesson. In reading such a book, I too learn a different lesson. But before I start there, I pause on the question,

What would I be willing to do to receive my inheritance from my rich uncle?

Humm.....

T

Patience

I have to tell you, patience is not my strong suit. I recently took a spiritual growth assessment that our church gives and as usual, patience was right there at the bottom of the list. The assessment was fairly comprehensive and in the area of patience it covered patient with family members, patiently waiting on God's answers and timing, extending patience (grace) to others, and patiently waiting in Atlanta traffic. I struggle at any point in time with any of these - usually not all at the same time.

The thing about patience is that it is really self-control. Katie Brazelton in her book Character Makeover says "patience is an outwardly displayed character quality that results from the inward character quality of self-control."

She wasn't the only one to link these two fruits of the spirit. Peter said,

Knowing God leads to self-control. Self-control leads to patient endurance, and patient endurance leads to godliness. 2 Peter 1:6 NLT

It is also amazing how often endurance and patience are linked together too.

So when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your benefit and salvation! For when God comforts us, it is so that we, in turn, can be an encouragement to you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. 2 Corin. 1:6 (NLT)

I am John, your brother. In Jesus we are partners in suffering and in the Kingdom and in patient endurance. ...Rev. 1:9 (NLT)

If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go. If anyone is to be killed with the sword, with the sword he will be killed. This calls for patient endurance and faithfulness on the part of the saints. Rev. 13:10 (NIV)

Self-control, patience and endurance - these are the character traits that should mark God's children. This was expected over 2000 years ago and it is still expected today.