Tag: workaholism

Work and Family (Psalm 127)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
The Carpenter’s Son, Holy Cross Chapel, Houston, Texas

Unless the Lord builds the house,
    those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord guards the city,
    the guard keeps watch in vain.
It is in vain that you rise up early
    and go late to rest,
eating the bread of anxious toil,
    for he gives sleep to his beloved.

Sons are indeed a heritage from the Lord,
    the fruit of the womb a reward.
Like arrows in the hand of a warrior
    are the sons of one’s youth.
Happy is the man who has
    his quiver full of them.
He shall not be put to shame
    when he speaks with his enemies in the gate. (New Revised Standard Version)

God is the Creator. We humans are creatures, created in the image and likeness of God. Therefore, we are inextricably tied to God, and quite dependent upon the Lord.

For the activities of our daily human life, we need God. When it comes to establishing a home, protecting our community, daily work, and raising children, we very much need God’s help to do all of this in a way that is successful and good.

Unless God is with us, in the center of all that we do, then our work in building a good life shall be in vain. How we go about living our lives with work and family, and who we look to as role models, makes a significant difference in the quality and effectiveness of our labor and relationships.

When my wife was growing up, her family had a prominent portrait of John Wayne in the living room above the television. That picture spoke volumes about the family ethos. They had horses and loved to ride and enjoy the outdoors. Hard work was a daily reality of life, as well as a rugged individualism that often suppressed all else in order to engage in work. 

Doing your best, striving for excellence, and learning responsibility are good things that mature people do every day. Yet, there is a fine line between hard work that provides and enriches, and lonely work that is frenetic and fueled by anxiety about the future.

The motives behind why we burn the candle at both ends are just as important to the Lord as the work itself. The psalm for today is a wake-up call for us to consider the frenetic pace of work and family life.

If we independently believe that our life is in our own hands, and we work with a worry that animates our every task, then we have lost touch with the understanding that it is God who ultimately provides us with every good thing in life. 

However, if we begin to relax and let go of our stubborn independent streak, then we work hard with the strength God gives. We let the Lord watch over us.

Trusting God in our work is connected to children being a heritage from the Lord. In the ancient world, children worked alongside their parents. Fathers and mothers did not go it alone – work was a family affair, as well as a community endeavor. 

Whenever we slip into a groove of worshiping individualism, rather than simply taking personal responsibility, then we must come back to the inter-dependence we were designed for as created human beings. 

The ethos the psalmist espoused is trust in God, reliance on others, and working together for the common good of all. 

Here are a few ways of working together and not carrying the load of work on our own:

Ask for what you want and need to accomplish the task. Whenever we don’t ask, we inevitably go the route of hustling for help through manipulation, guilt, and shaming others.

If someone says, “no,” simply ask another person or persons. Asking once just won’t do. And neither is commanding others to get things done. We have the ability to ask calmly, confidently, and compassionately. Accept the “no” which you might get, without retreating back to manipulation. This is especially needful when it comes to asking family members.

Ask God to help you in your work. Each day as I enter the hospital for which I am a Chaplain, I say a prayer, “God almighty, blessed Father, Son, and Spirit, please go before me, with me, and after me to each patient, their family members, and every team member I encounter today, with the love and compassion of Jesus Christ.”

Delegate, if possible. This is not the same thing as barking orders. Delegating is a realization that we are finite creatures with limitations of time, energy, and resources. It’s okay to share the load with others. In fact, most people are more than willing to help, if we but ask. It enables them to feel needed and important.

Be vulnerable and gracious. We all mess up our work, at times. And it’s important to own mistakes without heaping unnecessary criticism on ourselves, or others. Offering an apology, recognizing that you’ve bit off more than you can chew, and admitting your lack of energy are healthy, not sinful. Also, whenever others fall short of their responsibilities, it’s our job to handle it with grace – seeking to understand and help, rather than criticize and judge.

Working together, consulting, collaborating, and engaging in fellowship enable us to speak with those who may oppose, misunderstand, or misinterpret us. It’s also a more joyful way to live.

Sovereign God, you created all things and in you everything holds together. Preserve me with your mighty power that I may not fall into disconnection with you and others, nor be overcome by anxiety. In all I do direct me to the fulfilling of your purpose, through Jesus Christ my Lord. Amen.

The Seven Deadly Sins (Proverbs 12:10-21)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
A 14th century personification of the Seven Deadly Sins, by Unknown artist

The righteous care for the needs of their animals,
    but the kindest acts of the wicked are cruel.

Those who work their land will have abundant food,
    but those who chase fantasies have no sense.

The wicked desire the stronghold of evildoers,
    but the root of the righteous endures.

Evildoers are trapped by their sinful talk,
    and so the innocent escape trouble.

From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things,
    and the work of their hands brings them reward.

The way of fools seems right to them,
    but the wise listen to advice.

Fools show their annoyance at once,
    but the prudent overlook an insult.

An honest witness tells the truth,
    but a false witness tells lies.

The words of the reckless pierce like swords,
    but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

Truthful lips endure forever,
    but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.

Deceit is in the hearts of those who plot evil,
    but those who promote peace have joy.

No harm overtakes the righteous,
    but the wicked have their fill of trouble. (New International Version)

Many of the biblical proverbs are set as contrasts between the way of righteousness and the way of wickedness.

Being aware of both vice and virtue in our personal lives, the workplace, neighborhood, family, and faith communities can create an environment of trust, love, fellowship, and enjoyment. Intentionally pursuing the good, while identifying and forsaking the bad, contributes to a thriving community who intentionally cultivates righteousness.

It’s likely that you have heard of “the seven deadly sins.” In medieval Christianity, these were vices to avoid at all costs, because they eroded personal integrity and poisoned the social community. A “vice” is a bad habit which corrupts character and debases society.

The early church eventually formed a short list of the most corrosive vices, the seven deadly sins, which were considered the most heinous desires/actions of all. We find them in our proverbs for today.

Lust

The wicked covet the proceeds of wickedness. Desiring evil is a trap for them. They chase after sinister fantasies.

Lust is an intense desire, coupled with a lack of mental self-control, which is manifested in pursuing that desire in the heart. It is to have a passion for someone (or something) that is neither yours, nor meant for you. Lust leers at and indulges in selfish daydreams, without any concern for another person.

Do not desire to possess anything that belongs to another person—not a house, a wife, a husband, a slave, an ox, a donkey, or anything else. (Exodus 20:17, CEV)

Gluttony

The wicked have their fill of trouble. They’ve gobbled up evil as if dining at an all-you-can-eat buffet.

Whereas lust and covetousness is mostly a lack of mental self-control, gluttony is the lack of bodily self-control.

So, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, you should do it all for God’s glory. (1 Corinthians 10:31, CEB)

Gluttony doesn’t stop eating, buying, talking, drinking, or binging. It only excessively indulges to the point of physical and/or relational sickness. Addictions and workaholism are some modern-day forms of gluttony – it consumes to the point where it cannot control the consumption any more. The thing desired and indulged becomes the master.

Observe the Sabbath and keep it holy. You have six days in which to do your work, but the seventh day is a day of rest dedicated to me. On that day no one is to work—neither you, your children, your slaves, your animals, nor the foreigners who live in your country. (Exodus 20:8-10, GNT)

Greed

The tools of greed are deceit and lies; the greedy person goes to just about any lengths to obtain more wealth. They will misrepresent another and spread gossip and slander to get what they want.

Do not tell lies about others.

The Ninth Commandment (Exodus 20:16, CEV)

Money. More money – is the mantra of the greedy person. It is to have an inordinate desire and pursuit of wealth. Just as sex and food are good, but have their proper boundaries, so money is both good and necessary. 

But money is powerful in more ways than one. It can take over a person’s life in such a way that charging exorbitant interest, rent, or price gouging is justified by satisfying the greed. The greedy person lives every waking moment for leveraging wealth to get more wealth.

People who want to be rich fall into all sorts of temptations and traps. They are caught by foolish and harmful desires that drag them down and destroy them. The love of money causes all kinds of trouble. Some people want money so much that they have given up their faith and caused themselves a lot of pain. (1 Timothy 6:9-10, CEV)

Sloth

The sloth much prefers get-rich-quick schemes to actual hard work. They spend their time in worthless projects, and are easily annoyed at others.

Sloth is more than laziness. It is also failing to do good when it is in your power and ability to do so. To be slothful is to be indifferent to the great need of the world. 

Whereas the previous sins have a more active pursuit of some desire, the sloth is passive, not wanting to get involved in making a difference. The slothful person always has an excuse why they can’t participate; they expect everyone else to do the work. 

Do your work willingly, as though you were serving the Lord himself, and not just your earthly master.

Colossians 3:23, CEV

The irony is that for all of Ebenezer Scrooge’s hard work and thrift, he was really a sloth who had no intention of improving the condition of humanity; he depended on poor houses and work farms to do all the work. It took supernatural means to get him to think differently. It typically takes a lot for the sloth to go out of their way to honor, respect, and bless another.

You must honor and respect your father and your mother. Do this so that you will have a full life in the land that the Lord your God gives you. (Exodus 20:12, ERV)

Anger

A wicked person is often an angry person – so full of anger that they abuse their pets and animals who have done nothing against them. And they let their tongues wag and fly off the handle anytime they are perturbed.

Stop being angry!  Turn from your rage!  Do not lose your temper— it only leads to harm. (Psalm 37:8, NLT)

That doesn’t mean that anger itself is a bad thing. As with most things in life, anger has its proper place. For example, we ought to be angry in the face of evil perpetrators. Anger motivates us to not be slothful, but helpful. 

But excessive selfish anger is a vice. Whereas righteous anger seeks to help a victimized person or group, sinful anger is fueled by hatred. Whether it’s a violent verbal decapitation of another, or a deep seated bitterness, such anger destroys relationships – and even life itself.

No murder.

The Sixth Commandment (Exodus 20:13, MSG)

Envy

Envy and lust are kissing cousins. They both traffic in excessive desire for what they don’t possess. 

Envy rots the bones.

Proverbs 14:30, NIV

The subtle difference has more to do with the object of the affection. Lust leers at, longs for, a person who belongs to someone else. Envy fixes its gaze on a material possession or a respected position which someone else has. It is to have a passionate pursuit of taking over someone else’s job or keeping up with Jones’s.

For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. (James 3:16, NRSV)

Pride

The wicked and the proud share a table together for lunch every day. They don’t listen to anybody else, because they believe they already have the answers and know what is best.

Pride is an over-inflated view of one’s opinions, thoughts, and self. Proud persons have an overestimation of themselves. They seem to actually believe that if only others followed their thinking and advice, the world would be a better place.  

Every antagonist in the movies, comics, and classic literature are full of themselves. They justify stepping on others to achieve what they think is the greater good of imposing their agenda in the situation. It’s no wonder that in the Bible, Satan is the ultimate antagonist.

The proud must eventually contend with God. And the Lord has no allowance for the foolishness and idolatry of any human believing they know better.

“No other gods, only me.”

First Commandment (Exodus 20:3, MSG)

Consider the following questions:

How will you respond to the seven deadly sins?

In what ways and/or behaviors do you see these vices being manifested in both the church and the world?

What can the book of Proverbs bring to such a discussion?

I Will Give You Rest (Exodus 33:7-23)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment

Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting.” Anyone inquiring of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents, watching Moses until he entered the tent. As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke with Moses. Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to their tent. The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua son of Nun did not leave the tent.

Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”

The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”

And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”

Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”

And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”

Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.” (New International Version)

Moses was perhaps the most humble person who ever lived on the earth (Numbers 12:3), which is why he and God had such an intimate friendship together. But Moses was also a workaholic who tended to carry the world on his shoulders. (Exodus 18:1-27)

Good old Moses, bless his heavy heart, kept finding himself in over his head with all sorts of people problems and conflicts. And so, Moses almost seems perpetually stressed. It reminds me of an old episode of the original “Bob Newhart Show” in which Bob, a psychologist, becomes exasperated and blurts out, “Why do these people always have to come to me with their stupid problems!”

The Lord, infinitely patient with people, simply let Moses know that all he really needed was the divine presence, to rest fully in God being with him.

This is precisely what we all need to be reminded of almost every day. God is with us. The Lord’s presence is continually alongside us. And sometimes, we must get away from it all for a while, so that we can rest and gain some fresh perspective on life and who’s really in charge of everything.

Consider just a few of the many verses in Holy Scripture which reinforce God’s call to rest:

Observe the day of rest as a holy day. This is what the Lord your God has commanded you. (Deuteronomy 5:12, GW)

Only in God do I find rest;
    my salvation comes from him.
Only God is my rock and my salvation—
    my stronghold!—I won’t be shaken anymore. (Psalm 62:1-2, CEB)

The promise to enter the place of rest is still good, and we must take care that none of you miss out. (Hebrews 4:1, CEV)

Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28, GNT)

Scriptural rest is neither discretionary nor a luxury; a biblical sabbath rest is a vital necessity. It’s both lovingly encouraged and divinely commanded. 

And it is not simply a vacation in which we fill up our time with sightseeing and/or doing a lot of activities so that we end up needing a vacation from our vacation. Instead, the invitation to rest is initiated, given, and ordained by God. 

One morning I set aside a four-hour block to get away, rest, and pray. I’ll be honest that I came into it with a personal agenda of what I wanted God to do. I had my list of prayer items and my thoughts of how I believed God should work. Silly me.

It did not take long into my forceful striving toward God, that I was on a misguided adventure in missing the point. Somehow, in my desire to see all kinds of prayer requests answered, I lost sight of God’s presence and resting in it, enjoying it.

In our daily work-a-day world we poke and prod, we push, cajole, and finagle to move forward and get our way on all kinds of things. To separate ourselves from our typical routine takes something of a withdrawal, and it isn’t easy. This is likely why so many folks are tired, cranky, and negative – because they find all kinds of reasons to not rest.

Compulsions for performance and perfection are bandits, stealing our rest. We want to do everything right – to pray right, talk right, be right and live right – instead of coming to God like a little child. To rest means to relinquish all our plans and agendas to God for a time and connect to the reality of God’s presence.

Spiritual and biblical rest only “works” when we realize we don’t have it all together – that we are helpless and need to pull away and experience God’s glory. 

Maybe this old fallen world continues in its many dysfunctions because God’s people have not yet learned the necessity of faithful rest and trusting in the very presence of God, who is full of glory, now and forevermore. Amen.

Luke 22:24-30 – Just Shadow Jesus

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment
Digital painting of Jesus and the disciples by John Mathews

A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. You are those who have stood by me in my trials. And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. (NIV)

Jesus is a different sort of leader.

While the kings of his day were concerned with power and using their authority to ensure even more power and privilege, Jesus went about things differently. In a world of patronage where it was necessary for the lower classes to connect with and suck-up to the higher classes, Jesus operated by a different system.

Jesus, Lord of the universe, King of creation, absolute Leader of the Church, and Ruler over God’s realm was and is a servant of the people.

“Follow my example: Even the Son of Man did not come for people to serve him. He came to serve others and to give his life to save many people.”

mark 10:45, erv

On the surface, striving to be the best might seem noble and good. Yes, working toward being the greatest might motivate us to do all things with excellence. It can solve a lot of problems and issues. On the other hand, it may also result in attitudes and behavior which fosters unhealthy competition and an inordinate focus on becoming the greatest.

Think about it. Not everyone can be the greatest. If everyone is, nobody is. This results in lower self-esteem for nearly everybody. And it creates ripe conditions for leadership paranoia in which the greatest is always looking over their shoulder worrying about being toppled from their lofty position. At the least, all this ballyhoo about greatness only takes away from caring for the people who most need our efforts – family members get the shaft from someone with an imbalanced life who is laser-focused on getting to the top and staying there.

It’s as if a person is living a one-dimensional existence in a three-dimensional world. It won’t work. Fortunately, we don’t have to live like that.

Jesus shows us a better way.

Jesus was present to his disciples. He is present to us in the person of the Holy Spirit. Christ encouraged relational connections and using one’s gifts, talents, and abilities for the common good of all people. For Jesus Christ, the dynamics of power and authority are not to be leveraged for personal greatness but for collective uplift. Authority is to be carefully applied for everyone’s benefit, including those we think don’t deserve it.

The disciples understood far too little about the community their leader was trying to build. Judas Iscariot is likely the one disciple who first realized what Jesus was truly up to. The greatest are the least and the least are the greatest. It wasn’t what Judas signed up for, so he cut his losses and betrayed Jesus.

True exaltation is a gift of grace. The kingdom of God turns on mercy and operates on the economy of grace. It is those who faithfully serve who will sit with Jesus, the ultimate Servant, at the table. Peacocks and pretenders will never realize their dream to be the center of attention.

In a great twist of irony, those who wish to compete and occupy a high standing will discover they have worked to obtain the lowest rung on the ladder leaning against the wall of Satan’s kingdom.

Jesus consistently, patiently, and carefully established the kingdom of God on earth. He went about his task in a manner none of us would even consider. He focused on character, not skills; willing hearts, not intelligent brains; new life, not reformed habits. On the job orientation involved following Jesus around everywhere.

Just shadow Jesus.

Here I am washing your feet. Do the same. Here I am being present to and serving the poor, the lonely, the outcast, the moral failure, and the lowest of society. Do the same. Here I am showing sacrificial self-emptying unconditional love. Do the same. Just shadow me. Do what I do, period.

An obsession with greatness will inevitably lead to petty kingdom building enterprises. Instead, we are to love the neighbor next to us. We make room at the committee table for somebody who looks, acts, and talks different than me. We freely let Jesus live through us, thus, giving the gift of him to those we encounter. We purposely look for ways to serve underprivileged communities rather than use the people living there in ways to make us look better.

Indeed, this following Jesus thing is subversive – even for many professing Christians.

What will you do?

Go in peace to love and serve the Lord, in the name of Christ. Amen.