A Talk of Work
As my musings emboldened, the luminescence from the natural world around me increased; only to find me sitting at the edge of a rocky cliff in a rainstorm, contemplating the very meaning of life. And in conclusion, I’d find only one thing to be certain – the measure of a man is not valued by the time he works, nor the income he brings in, nor the position he might hold; but in his life, the work in which he chooses to invest his time, and the reasons he has for which paths he has chosen. You see, a man can achieve great wealth doing work he finds no pleasure in, yet many attribute that man a great success. However, the real successes come by the vows we make to ourselves, that while in need of very little to survive on, the ultimate human success, no doubt, rests on the compatibility of soul to body. And if the two are not in sync, that man has achieved nothing special of any sort.
I have observed this in great length to be true, and furthermore, can attest on behalf of my own spirit, that such observations are only a tip of the actualization behind such a claim. Mankind was not meant to “work” for the sake of work alone. From the very beginning, the call to work was an investment - the act of sacrifice for a fuller, more beautiful life. And to some, the very act of not working is more purposeful than to work for something that feeds not the soul.
I have seen a man’s hands fold in prayer, pleading for work. Yet job after job, bellow in sorrow for no work suitable for him. Soon the doors shut, and the money dries up, yet the faith of the soul of the one courageous enough to quietly await the work of purpose remains unshaken. And though no civilian understands the inability to “hold down a job”, he abides by his conscience and endures the reprimand, for the sake of one day working with the joy of intention. I have also combined my theories to these, in which I use my passions in gardening, but sparingly. Not every job is meaningful or fruitful. In fact, the gardening world is often set against the very art of fruiting, and often kills more than allows produce. The act of maintenance; of weeding, is an honorable quest, however we must weigh the cost. Is this act of tidying up intended to allow that which was planted intentionally to grow more fully? Or is it merely to keep the bed physically delightful, though its only residence are the chips of dyed mulch which benefit nothing but the continuance and downfall of an empty society?
A man’s mind was indeed created to double which he was given. To be fruitful and multiply. To invest. But how often do we attribute these passages in Scripture to be an “end all be all” to the placement of work in a man’s life? That regardless of circumstance, a man is to work… How foolish of a people we have become!
The intent was yes, work. But work of meaning and substance. Work that cultivates the creative mind like God’s, whose handiwork of the heavens and skies was not so ever necessary, but adorned his creation in the utmost splendor of his Majesty, painting his canvas with beauty. Work that compliments creation. Work that promotes well-being and longevity. Work that enhances the mind in connection with God. Work, that in all circumstances, is endowed unto Christ as an act of worship. Work that does not harden hearts, but encourages the softness of earth; the softness of the human heart in relation to his creator.
And it puzzles me so, to find the resistance to a stance such as this. That one does not see the importance of observation in Nature so unequivocally deliberate and monumental to watch the diverse populations of bees hover and buzz from flower to flower in a garden mimicking nature’s patterns of growth, but prefers to sit beside a line of other human beings, chained to a desk, set in a jail cell, stuck in a concrete building, depleting the soul of the very interconnected fabric that the earth and its inhabitants belong to.
But alas, my goal is not to lecture the lost, but to embolden the courageous. To encourage those of you, whose path you’ve already contemplated and have decided upon, to continue living life to the fullest - complementing creation through writing, prose, architecture, conservation, music, fine arts, handy work, advocacy, and more. I honor you, you who have chosen simplicity over complexity. Who have observed the cares of this world and have opted out of the meaningless work set before them. And instead, have opened their eyes to see the wonders of Nature all around you, and in that manner, have decided to see God, for your purity is anchored in something unwavering. A God who does not change like the shifting shadows of this world.
My deepest gratitude remains with you. I am deeply exonerated, by the mere truth that the “once upon a time” person I used to be, has been redeemed through the grace of God, that he converted me to consciousness in Christ. I was broken, yet now I am free. And in this, he has started a great work in me, which I happily obliged to bear. Have faith, my friends! Endure to the end the race set before us!
