THE DIGNITY AND IMPORTANCE OF LABOR
Another labor day has come and gone yet the importance of labor remains with us. We once again appreciated the dignity of labor. We are living at a time that leisure’s are promoted and preferred over hard work. In every shop centre around the cities, you can see leisure world, holiday resource and designed villages for get-away out of town place of convenience. Most people these days preferred to work a little and rest long. Some go into businesses that gamble for riches “quick-money” making hustle. There are in form of lotto, games, casino, and card -scratch, just to make money without labor. Some through pen robbery made illicit unlabored riches and now put their money to work for them. These groups of people believe that we do not need to labor to get wealth. They believe that labor is slavery, and humiliating; its earnings are just stipend and can only facilitate hand-to-mouth living. You do not have enough talk less of saving for rainy days. They opine that people labor for the benefit of tax masters who through the system make the laborers always dependent on them. The minimum wage does not help matters, yet cost of living is sky rocketing. It’s never enough to pay our bills or make ends meet.
As we celebrate another labor day, the world is warring; many people around the globe live on welfare. They are dislodged, relocated and refugees in their land. Due to the state of instabilities we lived in, many companies are folding up and workers retrenched of their jobs. Others are group of young people that graduated from colleges and universities but have no jobs. These contribute to the insecurities in the society we live in. Most people who are supposed to work are idle. They are easy prey to drugs, gangs, abuses, assaults, drunkenness and menace of the society. On the other hand some retired veterans are on major streets begging for arms to make ends meet. What is the need of working at all? Some retired people go back to work in attempt to put food on the table. However there are another group of people who are satisfied living on welfare. In this society where people are paid to receive education and become productive, some prefer to live on welfare. Among them are those who grew up on welfare system and knew nothing-else. Some think that welfare is a means of having their own cut of Government revenue. These revenues are paid as tax by working peoples. Others believe working is slavery, punishment and humiliating. They conceive that living on welfare is a reward on wages paid and taxed labor expended by their early parents.
Pastor T D Jakes of Potters’ House in one of his classic sermons opined that welfare is not permanent. It’s supposed to cushion or alleviate an immediate predicament. It never last for ever. He said that the children of Israel on their way to the Promised Land from the land of Egypt were placed on God’s welfare Scheme. They had angel’s food free from heaven, free water from brooks, pillar of cloud in the days and pillar of fire during the nights; free protection and safety and indeed free everything pertaining to life. But unknown to them, it was for a specific time. In this 21st century, some still believe that welfare is for life. This opinion is not only wrong but disadvantaged. You do not receive wages but assistance made possible by workers contribution. You’re a receiver not a giver. It’s never self sufficient for a living. You are dependent on it. You can never make wealth of it and not enough to give out. You can only live on hand-to-mouth and cannot save for rainy day. You are at the mercies of tax payers. You cannot determine your destiny and potentials. There’s no joy of living and becoming what God wants you to be. There’s no self actualization that through your efforts you are where you are. You’re availed a stipend of what God wants you to enjoy in abundance. Unfortunately the bible instructs that whoever does not work should not eat and also a laborer deserves reward [wages]. From the genesis of life, God created man , put him in the garden of Eden and ask him to tend it, work and eat out of his labor[Genesis 2:15]. Jesus also confirmed that his father and he work always [John 5:17].
Michael V. Roberts J D, in his book titled, “Action has no season” said, ‘throughout history mankind’s success as a whole and individually has been revealed through the fulfillment of our inmate potential. Potential is only realized through work…….work is the essential function of everyone’s being. If you are not working you’re not exposing your most potential. Most unemployed members of society specifically those recipients of Government assistance drain a community of its potentials.’ He opined that everyone has potentials and describes it as continuously existing in the state of possibility, hidden strength, untapped power and unused resources. Robert said if you refuse to work then the potential to manifest your desired image and vision of success will remain dormant and sealed inside of you. Failure to join the work force demolishes the possibilities you possess to fulfill your dream.
Today too many people desire riches but hate work. Those who work do so just for paycheck than work productively. Work is the means of finding purpose in life. When you stop working, you start dying gradually. That is why most retired persons still keep themselves busy in the service of the community. Some retired people go back to work and live. For living without work lowers your self esteem, self worth and image. Working is synonymous to living. Of all living creatures, mankind is the only one that retires. When they retire, they become senile, sad, and angry; beginning to fail in health and start demise process. For laziness brings poverty; leads to a life of begging, dependant on other people, jealousy and angry towards the success of hard workers. In all labor there’s profit. You will expend your energy and in return receive wages, salary, and income by which means you pay your bill, make purchases, save for rainy day as well as care for other have-nots. Again a poor man is hated by his neighbors and even his family has no regards for him. Work and enjoy the fruit of your labor. You will be able to live up to the demands on your life and your expectation of life.
George Bernard Shaw said, ‘there are two sources of unhappiness in life. One is not getting what you want; the other is getting it.’ Getting what you want especially what you never thought of getting or position you never dreamt of, could get you swollen headed, pompous and self pride; without self discipline you may over step bound. Again not getting may spur hate, depression, and slothfulness; the idle mind becomes the devil’s workshop and poverty attacks like armed robber. Even if you work for years without a cash reward, promotion or appreciation by your employers, don’t quit working hard. The Lord who sits on the throne is the chief employer of labor and He’s a Rewarder [Chief Pay Master].He may reward you by giving you and family good health, peace, loving spouse and well behaved children. These are uncommon favors that your limited wages can not buy. Also Beth Moore in Jesus one and only wrote, ‘the same job subjected to Christ authority yields entirely different result.’ So whatever you do, work it with all your heart as working for the Lord not men. Your rewards come from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Evangelist Ogbonnaya, Godswill could be reached by Email:gkapin53@yahoo.com