Tomorrow is Labor Day!
Illustration:
Reaching the end of a job interview, the Human Resources Person asked a young accountant who was fresh out of school, "What starting salary were you thinking about?" The Accountant said, "In the neighborhood of 100,000 a year, depending on the benefits package."
The interviewer said, "Well, what would you say to a package of 5 weeks vacation, full medical and dental, Company Retirement Fund to 50% of salary, Executive Share Option Scheme, Profit Related Pay and a company car leased every 2 years - say, a 5 series BMW?"
The Accountant sat up straight and said, "Wow! Are you kidding?"
The interviewer replied, "Yes, I am, but you started it."
In the 1800’s during the industrial revolution some companies would use human workers like an expendable commodity! Inhumanely long hours. Subsistence pay. Child labor. Dangerous conditions. Withholding pay. Grinding them into the dirt knowing that there were many more who could replace those who became sick, were maimed or died.
Leviticus 19:13b says,
“Do not hold back the wages of a hired worker overnight.”
Deuteronomy 24:14-15
“Do not take advantage of a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether that worker is a fellow Israelite or a foreigner residing in one of your towns.
“Pay them their wages each day before sunset, because they are poor and are counting on it. Otherwise they may cry to the LORD against you, and you will be guilty of sin.”
James 5:1-6 (NLT)
“Look here, you rich people: Weep and groan with anguish because of all the terrible troubles ahead of you. Your wealth is rotting away, and your fine clothes are moth-eaten rags.
“Your gold and silver are corroded. The very wealth you were counting on will eat away your flesh like fire. This corroded treasure you have hoarded will testify against you on the day of judgment.
“For listen! Hear the cries of the field workers whom you have cheated of their pay. The cries of those who harvest your fields have reached the ears of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.
“You have spent your years on earth in luxury, satisfying your every desire. You have fattened yourselves for the day of slaughter. You have condemned and killed innocent people, who do not resist you.”
Labor Day - celebrating humanity’s pathetic attempt to solve the heart of the problem which is sin in the heart of man! Did those being abused cry out to God? Did they gather and pray? Did they go to the Lord and ask for justice? Perhaps some did but instead Labor Unions were formed and reading the histories of some of the battles between corporations and unions it is easy to see that the Prince of Peace was not asked to the negotiations!
Strikes were called. Sometimes the intimidation of the strikers was arranged by the companies, even reaching the level of murder. Sometimes the strikers would bomb or otherwise beat and kill company officials, workers brought in to replace them or their fellow workers who dared to cross the picket lines.
In one shop where I worked I even heard one cowardly person actually state,
“If we go on strike and anyone crosses the picket line we know where their wife and children live and that was as recent as 1980.”
And then on top of that hatred and greed from both sides were the union bosses who fanned the flames of whatever would work to their advantage.
Labor Day. We love the day off but the battle still goes on, and I have to ask the question, is it something we should really be celebrating?
There was a time when Management (God) and the labor force (mankind) walked together in peace and harmony.
The Lord GOD had created everything including man and He had given man a purpose.
Genesis 2:15
“The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.”
It was paradise. The Creator had worked to create the world and all that was in it. He was still working to sustain the life of all of creation. Adam and Eve’s simple task was to take care of just one small piece of creation.
Now, we all know when the break in the management/labor relations came into humanity! Adam and Eve disobeyed the one command they had been given. They thought the Boss, the Lord GOD, was holding out on them.
From that point on it was mostly rebellion by humanity with God in pursuit, calling us back to Himself and most of us refusing …
So the Lord sent negotiators; Noah, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Samuel, David, Solomon, Josiah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, John the Baptist.
Then came Jesus! The Savior of the world. He gave His life for our the reconciliation of God and man!
After that He sent more people to tell of this plan of reconciliation; Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, Peter, James and Jude.
Now, before Jesus came the Holy Spirit was active but not in the same way as He has been since Jesus returned to Heaven!
So, even now, the Holy Spirit is urging us to come to the place of peace provided by the death of Jesus on the cross of Calvary and His resurrection!
And, at the same time, Jesus is our advocate before the throne of the Father in heaven for all those who trust in His name for salvation.
God had a plan of reconciliation. In His vast wisdom and knowledge He knew that real life could only be found in a loving relationship with Him. But because of sin we were born blinded to the reality of that truth by the world’s negotiator.
Ok, so, here’s the Labor Day point to all of this.
The world is on strike against the Management of the Universe.
The devil is on strike against God!
The devil is organizing protests!
The devil uses the philosophies of this world to falsely accuse God and His followers of being evil and hateful.
The evil one is convincing his horde of people that true riches and fulfillment are found in the things of this world.
And, many follow him to his destruction and to theirs.
1 Peter 5:8 says,
“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
The Lord, on the other hand, has a plan of true reconciliation which brings life.
Reconciliation with Jesus brings the peace of forgiveness
“ “ “ brings the assurance of eternity with God
“ “ “ brings the joy of a healed soul
In John 10:10 Jesus says,
“The thief (devil) comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
All of these things and more are wonderful but -
Reconciliation with Jesus also brings the realization that you were once lost
“ “ “ brings the awareness that many of your friends and
family are also eternally lost
“ “ “ brings the awareness that our lives are a witness for
our “Manager” and that He has a job for us to do!
Some of our work for God will be un-doing what we did when we were spiritually “on strike”
Sabotage - derives from the Netherlands in the 15th century when workers would throw their sabots (wooden shoes) into the wooden gears of the textile looms to break the cogs, fearing the automated machines would render the human workers obsolete.
Just try to imagine what sabotage we caused when we were living in the bondage of sin. How many times our actions caused damage to the kingdom of God.
The times we enticed others to sin with us …
The times we lied or cheated or abused someone in some way that would make it almost impossible for us to tell them about Jesus now …
The times we ridiculed Christ and His Church in front of someone who was thinking about turning to Jesus for salvation …
The times we lived lukewarm Christian lives in front of those who were watching to see if there really was something different about being a Christian
Sabotage …
Yes, we have all committed sabotage against the Kingdom of God at one time or another!
But! It’s Labor Day weekend and instead of thinking about the travesty of celebrating the ongoing war between some companies and some workers who are operating by the principles of the world and not by the principles of the Kingdom of God, let’s think and meditate on the work God has set before us that we may undo the sabotage of the devil and do the work of God!
First, the only way to be part of this great endeavor is to be a born again Christian!
We must admit that before we come to Christ we are sinners and we need to confess our sin!
1 John 1:8-10 says,
“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar and His word is not in us.”
Then, after confessing our sins and turning away from the sinful life we need to trust Jesus for salvation
Acts 16:31 (AMP)
“Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ [give yourself up to Him, take yourself out of your own keeping and entrust yourself into His keeping] and you will be saved, [and this applies both to] you and your household as well.”
After salvation it doesn’t just stop there but we must grow in Christ likeness
2 Thessalonians 1:3 says
“We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing.”
And, by the power of God to become holy!
2 Corinthians 7:1
“Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.”
God has called into His work which is His kingdom come and His will be done on earth as it is in heaven and He has called us into that work with Him!
This work can and should be happening wherever we are and no matter what vocation we have! We are to be ambassadors for Christ, defeating the sabotage of the evil one by the power of the Holy Spirit! And, we won’t be working alone!
John 4:33
“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work.”
John 5:17b
“My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I too am working.”
Are you working for the kingdom of God too?
Have you sabotaged the work of God recently?
Do you want to pray about it?
Do you want to commit to being more effective in working for Jesus?
Invitation
