Tag Archives: Work

Work – Sat – 21-09-11

Daily Spark,

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Work is a good thing. We discussed this earlier in the week. God worked when he created the world. He gave Adam and Eve work to do, even in paradise. Work is not a curse or a necessary evil. It may be difficult. But working hard leads to success.

This is all true, but a danger exists. Too many of us can become workaholics. We make work too high a priority. We should remember that God himself rested from his work. Not because he was tired, but to set an example for us. Genesis 2:1-3 says, “Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.”(NIV)

The importance of rest is also recognized by others. Business guru Dale Carnegie said, “So, to prevent fatigue and worry, the first rule is: Rest often. Rest before you get tired.”1 Bansky, the pseudonym for a graffiti artist in the United Kingdom said, “If you get tired, learn to rest, not quit.”2

On this Sabbath day, I want to encourage you to make sure you have the proper amount of rest in your weekly schedule.

  1. Dale Carnegie, quotefancy.com, https://quotefancy.com/quote/791138/Dale-Carnegie-So-to-prevent-fatigue-and-worry-the-first-rule-is-Rest-often-Rest-before
  2. Bansky, Goodreads, https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/8225454-if-you-get-tired-learn-to-rest-not-to-quit

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Work – Fri – 21-09-10

Daily Spark,

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Steven Covey has written several books aimed at training business leaders to be more effective. Perhaps his best known book is 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. He says, “Most of us spend too much time on what is urgent and not enough time on what is important.”*

This is a challenge in many workplaces. In fact, the Pareto Principle states that 80% of results come from just 20% of work activities. Identifying and performing those important activities are vital for success. In other words, we must prioritize!

This is also true in our personal lives. Often we want to buy a new house, purchase furnishings and entertainment gear or go on vacation. But at times, it may be more important to prioritize work and developing our job skills. Listen to Proverbs 24:27, “Put your outdoor work in order and get your fields ready; after that, build your house.”(NIV) This Proverb instructs the farmer to prioritize the field work. Why? It’s easy to figure out — you get a harvest from the field work, but not from the house.

I want to encourage you to stop for a minute and think about your work. When working, do you focus on the important activities that deliver the most results? Is developing your work skills a priority? Obviously, work should not be our highest priority. But it should never be our last priority either.

*”Priorities Quotes,” Goodreads, https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/priorities

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Work – Thu – 21-09-09

Daily Spark,

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Larry Casola is one of the last European-style, stained-glass craftsmen in the United States. He learned his craft as a hobby while working as a fireman in Long Island, New York. Larry left the fire department at age 41 and moved Casola Stained Glass Studio to Fort Myers, FL. He eventually added a few other staff.

Since opening, the studio has designed and created personalized windows for homes, churches and commercial buildings. This work includes a window 60 feet wide and eight feet high at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Palm Beach Gardens. Each panel was personalized to the wishes of the family donating it. Larry has since retired and passed the studio to his son.*

Why do I mention Larry Casola? Because he is an example of Proverbs 22:29, “Do you see someone skilled in their work? They will serve before kings; they will not serve before officials of low rank.”(NIV)

Larry approached his hobby and business wholeheartedly. He put in the time and effort to develop his skills. This allowed him to work at something he loved and build a successful business. So, don’t forget to develop your skills! Even if you are in mid-career, continue to sharpen your abilities. Whether you are a carpenter, bricklayer, computer programmer, data scientist, physician, dentist, nurse, teacher, writer, business leader, or whatever your job — invest in the time and effort to improve your abilities!

*Cynthia Williams, “Stained glass studio in Fort Myers inspired by love of art, perfection,” Herald-Tribune, August 1, 2021, https://www.heraldtribune.com/story/entertainment/2021/08/01/casola-stained-glass-studio-fort-myers-carries-european-style/4920362001/

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Work – Wed – 21-09-08

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Advice columnist Ann Landers once said, “Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people don’t recognise them.”1 I guess the corollary to that is that most people are looking for the “easy way out.”

Don’t we usually want work to be easy? Like the commercial, we want an easy button! That’s why we need to hear what the Bible says about hard work. Proverbs 14:23 says, “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.”2 Then, there is the description of the woman of noble character in Proverbs 31:17, “She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.” This also reminds me of Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”

Ok, if we can’t have it easy, we at least want to be lucky. That’s why millions of dollars are spent on the lottery year after year. We need to hear Proverbs 28:19, “Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty.”

Does it seem that your reliance on luck leads only to hard luck? How do you overcome bad luck? Harry Golden knew. He said, “The only thing that overcomes hard luck is hard work.”1

There is no easy button and you can’t rely on luck. But working with your whole heart will lead to profit.

  1. “Ann Landers Quotes,” BrainyQuote, https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/ann-landers-quotes
  2. All Bible quotes from NIV
  3. “Harry Golden Quotes,”BrainyQuote, https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/harry-golden-quotes

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Work – Tue – 21-09-07

Daily Spark,

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Have you ever rolled out of bed in the morning and wondered why you have to go to work? If you are like me, you need a cup of coffee or two to tackle the day! Whether we are farming, roofing, landscaping, writing computer code, seeing patients or working in an office, there are times that work seems hard – a drudgery.

Is this because work is an evil? No, we know that God works. Even in the perfect Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve had a job. They were tending the garden and had been told to fill the earth and make it productive.

But, even though work is not evil, evil has corrupted work. When Adam and Eve disobeyed God, work changed. God said in Genesis 3:17-19, “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.” (NIV)

We live in a broken world. That’s why work can be difficult and frustrating. But we can still accomplish good things! Focus on the joy of being creative and productive, not on the hassles in your work!

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Work – Mon – 21-09-06

Daily Spark,

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Happy Labor Day! I hope you enjoy a day off work! Labor Day is celebrated today in both Canada and the United States. In 80 countries, it is celebrated on May 1st. In the US, the exact origins of the holiday have a bit of dispute. It arose from the labor union movement during the late 1800s. Either Matthew Maguire of the Central Labor Union, or Peter J. McGuire of the American Federation of Labor, proposed the idea. It appears the first parade was held in September of 1882. Five years later, Oregon was the first state to officially recognize the day. It became a holiday for federal workers in 1894. It took a few more decades for all US states to recognize the holiday.*

Work is a vital part of human life. When God created people, he gave them a task. Genesis 1:27-28 says, “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.’” (NIV)

These verses are a mandate from God to care for the earth and make it productive. Stop today and marvel at the work of people who have created so much, and at the God who created them!

*”Labor Day,” Wikipedia, last updated August 6, 2021, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labor_Day.

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Work – Sun – 21-09-05

Daily Spark,

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Have you heard this one? “I always try to go the extra mile at work, but my boss always finds me and brings me back.” – that is attributed to an Anonymous wag. As is this one:  “Do not underestimate your abilities. That is your boss’s job.” Or try Conway’s Law: “In any organization there will always be one person who knows what is going on – This person must be fired.”*

We often make fun of work and workplace relationships. They can be the source of a lot of humor. They can also be the source of a lot of anxiety and stress. This week the podcast episodes will focus on work. I thought it would tie nicely into the Labor Day observances in the US and Canada.

We often view work as a necessary evil. But nothing is further from the truth. God himself is a worker. In fact, our existence depends on his work. Genesis 1 describes God creating the universe and populating the earth with plants, animals and people. Chapter 2 begins with these words: “Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing.”(NIV)

Did you notice those words? God finished the work he’d been doing. You and I are made to be creative and productive, just like God is creative and productive. Work is a godly thing.

*”34 Funny Office Quotes That’ll Have You Chuckling,”  Quotabulary & Buzzle.com, Inc., https://quotabulary.com/funny-office-quotes

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Bumper music “Landing Place” performed by Mark July, used under license from Shutterstock.