Establish The Work Of Your Hands

Word-Of-The-Day: ‘May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us— yes, establish the work of our hands.’ (Psalm 90:17); ‘Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies have no sense (and nothing else).’ (Proverbs 12:11); ‘A sluggard’s appetite is never filled, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied.’ (Proverbs 13:4)

These 3 Old Testament verses compliment 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 (essentially, ‘mind your own business and do something constructive to earn your keep‘).  God wants us to worship continually, but God also understands our needs to be productive for both societal and individual survival.  Each of us have a talent that we use that defines our vocation.  Not all of us can be farmers; someone has to manufacture the tractors and plows, someone else has to build the barns and garages, another has to truck the produce farmed to the store.  ‘Working the land’ does not mean we have to all be farmers, but we all have a share in the work needing to be done to put the food on our tables. 

Humans do two things; produce and consume.  Each person must share in the production to gain consumption, and this is within the Lord’s Will.  Even if one is retired and no longer works in an outwardly productive fashion, the previous work done (with proper preparation) should allow for a surplus of funds (Social Security, pension, 401k) that covers consumption after production ends.  In Proverbs, the Lord provides that those who only consume and not produce are a waste and will end up with nothing. 

We see many today who want ‘something for nothing’, we hear that some want a ‘living wage’ but do not want to enter a trade or learn the skills or gain the education required to make a living wage.  It is not a sin to make money, or gain wealth; it is a sin when making money is not to the glory of God but to the glory of self (‘the LOVE of money is the root of all evil’).    

We are starting to see the dangers of making consumption without production more attractive and the ruin it can lead to.  The government continuing excessive unemployment benefits to those able-bodied to work are causing businesses to either fail or work shorthanded, and are causing prices to go up as demand strips supply from shortages of goods in our stores. Wages have increased to attract those few who do want to work.  Eventually those who produce will wary and either quit producing as well, or find ways to hoard what they produce and become greedy.  We may soon reach a point where economic calamity strikes when production stops or goods are no longer available, and there’s nothing left to consume. 

The reward of capitalism is when working, there is the benefit that extra production brings extra pay, so there is excess production and plenty of goods.  The bane of socialism is rewarding only the minimal amount of production expected. The benefit to the producer, in socialism, is not exceeding the minimum quotas as doing more gains no reward, so production is a minimal amount of goods.  If that minimal amount of goods is less than the number desired or needed for consumption, then some will do without.  It is never good when someone who can produce, doesn’t.  They become solely a consumer and become a negative contributor. 

There are many, who, due to things beyond their own control, cannot produce. Exceptions include those fully disabled, or cannot function without great assistance.  This is where charity comes in, where we who can produce in abundance can help provide for those who cannot.  Even many disabled folks still find ways to contribute to their own needs and the needs of others. 

The biggest form of production needed today is Christians producing in the way of evangelism!  If you only consume the Word and do not exercise it in practice, someone outside of the Church goes without hearing the Word of Christ.  Share the Word with others, offer prayer, encourage someone in Jesus’ name, and act as a Christian should, in the example of Christ others can see.