The value of the month of June in the Embassy of God church is labor and creativity. We all understand that it is important to work, life demands it. Do you really know the main purpose of work? Why is it not necessary to work simply for the sake of survival? Why is it not necessary to work for the sake of earning money for living? Why do we have to work? We will now explore this topic.
“Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it” (Genesis 2:15)
The reason and purpose of labor for a man
1. A man works in order to exist on this Earth.
Paid work allows you to acquire essentials such as food, clothes, accommodation and much more. You have to pay for everything and that is why you have to work. It is written in Bible: “…If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10)
2. It is important for a man to work, because work actively supports his mental and physical activities.
Without vigorous activity muscles become weaker, the level of intellect immediately begins to deteriorate and man begins to degrade. One of the founding fathers of the USA – William Penn – said: “Work with diligence because work is necessary for your own well-being and useful for your health.”
3. Work keeps us safe from unnecessary troubles and grief.
A man who does not know what to do usually gets into various unpleasant situations. They say about them: “He was in the wrong place at the wrong time”. A man without work just wanders through life, runs from here to there, leads a riotous lifestyle and comes under the influence of unfavorable company. Idleness is one of the main reasons bad habits are formed. American politician, diplomat and scientist Benjamin Franklin said: “A slacker seldom visits a busy man – a fly does not fly to a hot stove.”
4. Work releases our inner reserves, gifts and abilities.
Through work we find out more about ourselves, our hidden potential. The Roman poet of “the golden age” Horace said: “Nothing can be attained in life without great work”. The most important work in our life is working on ourselves.
5. Only through work can we get satisfaction, happiness and the fullness of life.
All hardworking people who work as they should can confirm this. One of the most famous Russian writers and thinkers Lev Tolstoy said: “Work, work. How happy I feel when I work!”
6. Work gives us an opportunity to realize our dreams, ideas and achieve our purposes.
Almost everyone has their own dreams and aims but only those who are ready to work hard can attain them. A French litterateur, Claude Helvetius wrote: “You need a moment in order to wonder but to create a wonderful thing you need years of patience and hard work.”
7. Work allows us to be a blessing to other people.
Thanks to earned money we gain the ability to support not only our families but we can help our relatives and others who also need our help. “If it is work, then it should be such that brings benefit and honor”, said Roman poet Lucius. There is no sense in our work if it does not bring benefits but only satisfies our whims and our survival.
8. Work allows us to acquire new skills.
For example, fifteen years ago only a few people could work on the computer but due to applied efforts it later became possible for all people. “There is nothing that cannot be overcome by work,” said Giordano Bruno, an Italian Dominican friar, philosopher and a poet. Work enriches us not only financially, but through it we develop professionally and acquire new skills and abilities necessary for labor.
9. Work allows us to fulfill our purpose for which we were created and sent by God at a certain time in a specific place on the earth.
“Work! The world won’t be a paradise for those who want to be lazy”, wrote the German poet and dramatist Hans Sachs.
God is looking for workers for the Kingdom of God. He needs us to work and cultivate our promised land, our sphere for what we have been predetermined. ”Also I heard the voice of the Lord saying: ’Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’ Then I said, ‘Here I am! Send me.’ “(Isaiah 6:8). This appeal of God to the prophet Isaiah is still relevant today. There are so many things on the Earth for us to fulfill, change, eradicate and impose! Without work, the Kingdom of God and God’s values do not appear in our society or anywhere in the whole world for that matter. Our purpose of life is always connected to the improvement and transformation of the society where we live and if we want to change anything, we must apply maximum work.
Dear brothers and sisters do not work for the sake of survival! We were not born for this. You were born for God’s great purpose, for your happiness, for discovering your unique and rich potential and for your satisfaction. I pray that you would recognize the value of work which has been predetermined by the Creator. I pray and hope I will be able to rejoice that you perceive the truth about work and you will live for the highest purpose and not for mere survival. “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth” (3 John 1:4).
May the Lord bless you!
With love and honor, Senior Pastor of The Embassy of God church: Sunday Adelaja.
Translated by Vera Kozlovets
Edited by Kizito Leacock
