WORK IS MERITORIOUS SERVICE

WORK IS MERITORIOUS SERVICE

Sunday, October 23, 2016

“No one should ever work. Work is the source of nearly all the misery in the world. Almost any evil you’d care to name comes from working or from living in a world designed for work. In order to stop suffering, we have to stop working.” Bob Black, 1985 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Abolition_of_Work )

  My normal dress was an “eccentric cap” (think Casey Jones), thick heavy stainless steel side-shielded glasses, a long long-underwear long-sleeved shirt buttoned to the throat with shielding rag as bandana. My below-crotch shirt was worn outside over stiff denim stove-pipe dungarees (washed soft they would be dangerous). The pants were long enough to cover my ankle high thick soled steel-toed boots with meta-tarsals strapped on. Depending on task, over these I sometimes wore stiff canvas leggings (think WWI).

  When Charging or tending furnaces my wardrobe additionally included full faceshield and thick open weave coarse asbestos coat over a buttoned denim jacket. For some jobs I wore asbestos pants. On my hands I wore white inspection gloves under thick fingered oven gloves under elbow length asbestos mittens. Underneath the asbestos coat sleeves I had stiff canvas shields from wrist to near elbow (think old time printer).

  Did I leave anything out?  Oh yes . . .  The foundry was hot year round. In the warm weather the shop was super hot and humid. In the cold season it was just plain hot. Plus from the windows open for ventilation there were icy drafts that probed our sweat soaked clothing. In summer, if we went to the air conditioned cafeteria (I didn’t), you were chilled, stared at, and chairs and tables required extra asap cleaning. And then there were the burns as somehow molten droplets and splashes found a way thru our armor.

  I loved my job. Consequently I received a number of merit raises in the 10 years I worked there until OSHA, newly enacted, shut us down. OSHA wasn’t the only thing new, self-esteem movement was creeping in. Consequently merit raises were done away with so as to not to offend other employees.

  It was working together and during lunch times that senior diecaster Bud Bond witnessed to me of Jesus Christ’ redemption. At age 27, trusting Him, I soon felt guilty about loving my work, wondering if it was idol to me.

  Fortunately, as I’ve mentioned before, Bud was a “What does the Bible say about the matter?” mentor.

·         God is Worker. Gen.1:1-15

·         Work was included in God’s first instruction to Adam. Gen.2:8, 15

·         In His image, work is good. Ps.25:8; Eph.4:28

·         God’s character is proclaimed in and by his work. Ps.19

·         Our godly character or lack thereof is reflected in our work ethic. Pr.18:9, Mt.7:15-20; 1Tim.5:28

·         Serving to God’s glory includes work. 1Cor.10:31

·         Colossians 3:22-25 Slaves, obey your masters according to the flesh in all things; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God. And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men; knowing that from the Lord you shall receive the reward of the inheritance. For you serve the Lord Christ. But he who does wrong shall receive justice for the wrong which he did, and there is no respect of persons.

  Topically studied God Word -- got the facts. Case settled.

  A closing thought: I see many people, including Christians, stressed with what they feel they should be doing, when in light of Scripture they forget to serve at and enjoy what they are doing. 

EBB4   (Wednesday, August 11, 2010)