The Privilege of Work

Ecclesiastes 5:12 Those who work hard all day come home and sleep in peace. It is not important if they have little or much to eat. But the rich worry about their wealth and are not able to sleep.

If you had a choice between a life of hard work doing what you’re good at doing, or an easy life of wealthy luxury just whiling away the days doing whatever you want, which one would you choose?

I think instinctively, most of us would choose the latter. Imagine, no more responsibility. No more long hours. No more hard work, just being able to spend your time as you please.

I’m fast hurtling toward my mid-sixties, a time when many people choose to retire. But the more I look at that second option, the less attractive it appears.

Many consider work to be a chore, a grind, a necessary evil to put food on the table. But the older I get, the more it feels like an incredible privilege – which, as it turns out, is quite a biblical perspective.

Ecclesiastes 5:12 Those who work hard all day come home and sleep in peace. It is not important if they have little or much to eat. But the rich worry about their wealth and are not able to sleep.

Of course, at some point, your body tells you it’s time to slow down, or at least change your work mix. But let’s make one thing clear. The Bible knows nothing of retirement. And even though we’re living much longer these days, there’s no such thing as retirement for a disciple of Jesus Christ.

It’s great if you can afford to move from paid employment to unpaid kingdom work. But God isn’t keeping us alive on this earth for us to cruise into the grave. He’s keeping us here to tell people about Jesus.

Those who work hard all day come home and sleep in peace.

That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.

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