Working Too Hard
I heard it once said that, "the project you work on today will be in someone's landfill in 25 years." That pretty much sums up the reality of work for an engineer. That also pretty much sums up working hard for everyone. In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon also saw the futileness of working too hard:
Ecclesiastes 2:20-25 (NASB)
[20] Therefore I *completely despaired of all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun. [21] When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge and skill, then he gives his *legacy to one who has not labored with them. This too is vanity and a great evil. [22] For what does a man get in all his labor and in *his striving with which he labors under the sun? [23] Because all his days his task is painful and grievous; even at night his *mind does not rest. This too is vanity.
[24] There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and *tell himself that his labor is good. This also I have seen that it is from the hand of God. [25] For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without *Him?
This of course was written during a time when there was not a lot of free time available. There were no weekends off which allow us to do what we normally want to do. In fact, the Jews were considered lazy during the Roman occupation because of their not working on the Sabbath. We have the problem of spending too much time at work and not having the foresight to balance what we do with our home and personal life. In this passage, we see that without God we cannot enjoy what we do. We should be happy with the job that we do, not "sluffing off" at work, but working hard for the Lord realizing that there are other obligations. In fact we have a verse in Colossians that tells us to work heartily as for the Lord.
Colossians 3:23-24 (NASB)
[23] Whatever you do, do your work *heartily, as for the Lord *rather than for men, [24] knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward *of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.
The priority is still the same: first, the Lord, then wife/spouse, then children, then family, then ministry, then job. But still work your job heartily as for the Lord.
Ecclesiastes 2:20-25 (NASB)
[20] Therefore I *completely despaired of all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun. [21] When there is a man who has labored with wisdom, knowledge and skill, then he gives his *legacy to one who has not labored with them. This too is vanity and a great evil. [22] For what does a man get in all his labor and in *his striving with which he labors under the sun? [23] Because all his days his task is painful and grievous; even at night his *mind does not rest. This too is vanity.
[24] There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and *tell himself that his labor is good. This also I have seen that it is from the hand of God. [25] For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without *Him?
This of course was written during a time when there was not a lot of free time available. There were no weekends off which allow us to do what we normally want to do. In fact, the Jews were considered lazy during the Roman occupation because of their not working on the Sabbath. We have the problem of spending too much time at work and not having the foresight to balance what we do with our home and personal life. In this passage, we see that without God we cannot enjoy what we do. We should be happy with the job that we do, not "sluffing off" at work, but working hard for the Lord realizing that there are other obligations. In fact we have a verse in Colossians that tells us to work heartily as for the Lord.
Colossians 3:23-24 (NASB)
[23] Whatever you do, do your work *heartily, as for the Lord *rather than for men, [24] knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward *of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.
The priority is still the same: first, the Lord, then wife/spouse, then children, then family, then ministry, then job. But still work your job heartily as for the Lord.