Hackernoon #7 - Working It

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The urban dictionary classifies a hacker as: as someone who strictly pursues creature comforts through completely legal means that while frustrating to others; allow him to live his best life.

We are all hackers looking for shortcuts or ways to do things which are less stressful and more comfortable.

<need some examples of life hacks>

Life is hard enough so finding the fastest way to, or through, the obstacles of life seems like an appropriate subject in this covid reality we have found ourselves in.

So over the last month, we have been sharing simple shortcuts to help you live your best life. We offered hacks on scripture, finances, relationship, parenting/leadership, purpose. And this week we conclude with another simple but not easy shortcut surrounding what we do and who we are.

Three great quotes to help us come from MLK jr, Albert Einstein and everybody’s favorite reformer - Martin Luther

If a man is called a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and Earth will pause to say, ``Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.” ? Martin Luther King Jr.

“Three rules of work: 1. Out of clutter, find simplicity. 2. From discord, find harmony. 3. In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” ? Albert Einstein

What you do in your house is worth as much as if you did it up in heaven for our Lord God. We should accustom ourselves to think of our position and work as sacred and well-pleasing to God, not on account of the position and work, but on account of the word and faith from which the obedience and the work flow. - Martin Luther

Work is not a matter of “if” but what, when and how for anyone who considers himself a follower of Jesus.

John Calvin once said, “There is no work, however vile or sordid, that does not glisten before God.”

Many in America, and the western world, work to create a nest egg to retire to do what they desire. However, this entire idea is unbiblical. Retirement is not in the scriptures. It doesn’t exist. We were not created to sit around. We were created to do the work of the one who created us.

I will never forget the first church I pastored. I took a part time position and worked some 50 hours a week. It was a hard labor of love. One of the moments that will forever be etched in my mind, is the moment a dear older woman, maybe in her 70’s looked me in the eyes and said, “I’m done. I did everything in the church that has been asked of me for 50 years. It’s someone else's turn.” I was stunned that a person who professed Jesus with her lips and had obviously served in the church would ever utter those words aloud. I wanted to ask where she read the idea but I didn’t. I stood there in the leadership meeting dumbfounded - silent. It’s a moment I regret,

We are never done serving the Lord until you’re pushing up daisies or the Lord returns. Sabbath is allowed. Rest is important. But we are never done.

Genesis 2 tells of God near the end of creating the earth and the heavens, “Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. 2 By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. 3 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.”

Now along these lines, if God worked to create something beautiful, aren’t we, who are made in his image, to do the same? I believe all who call him “abba father” should continue his work until our very last breath. If you doubt me, jump down to verse 15:

“The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden;

From the beginning, God's original intent was for mankind to work and enjoy the opportunity to serve Him through our stewardship of the created order. He thought of everything, created it and then gave man the opportunity to experience the joy of caring for and harvesting all that was there.