The concrete day-by-day manifestations of the spirit of a servant rather than an "archist."
- 2. To labor; to be occupied in performing manual labor, whether severe or moderate. One man works better than another; one man works hard; another works lazily.
- 5. To operate; to carry on business; to be customarily engaged or employed in. Some work in the mines, others in the loom, others at the anvil.
- They that work in fine flax. Is. xix.
Webster's 1st ed., 1828
Exodus 20:9 | Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work.
And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us,
And establish the work of our hands for us; Yes, establish the work of our hands. | Psalm 90:17
She seeks wool and flax, And willingly works with her hands. | Proverbs 31:13
And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure; | 1 Corinthians 4:12
Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. | Ephesians 4:28
that you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, | 1 Thessalonians 4:11
The goal of life in non-Christian societies, is to reach a position in life where work is unnecessary and where others can be commanded to work for you.
The attitude among the Hebrews was that a man who did not teach his child two things, the law of God, and how to work, a trade, taught him to be a thief. The Puritans held to this same standard. Work was not the duty of slaves, but the calling of God's elect.
In terms of the modern mentality, there is a marked flight from work; work is seen as a curse, and idleness as a blessing, a goal to be attained, and a state of bliss. Men work in order to be free from work and to be idle. Today in both the Western nations and the Marxist states, work is increasingly seen as a burden and a curse. [For the Christian,] the reward for work is dominion and achievement. The purpose of rest is not escape from work, but a rest in the Lord, and a refreshing before return to work.
R.J. Rushdoony, "Work," Salvation and Godly Rule, 1983. |
Exodus 20:9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work.
Then I raised my eyes and looked, and there were four horns [politicians]. {19} And I said to the angel who talked with me, "What are these?" So he answered me, "These are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem." {20} Then the LORD showed me four craftsmen. {21} And I said, "What are these coming to do?" So he said, "These are the horns that scattered Judah, so that no one could lift up his head; but the craftsmen are coming to terrify them, to cast out the horns of the nations that lifted up their horn against the land of Judah to scatter it."
Zechariah 1:18-21
Animals merely survive. Human beings, created in the Image of God, work. Even after their basic material needs are met, God's Image-Bearers work, restore, beautify, protect, invest, and thereby extend Christ's dominion over the earth.
I honor the urge to exercise dominion over the earth which God gave me (Genesis 1:26-28).
I work for quality. I have the patience to do simple things perfectly and thereby strengthen my skill to do difficult things easily. I do not simply get a task out of the way, but add a measure of beauty and craftsmanship to everything I do.
I do not work unnecessarily. I constantly find ways to work more efficiently.
I am committed to making the conditions under which men work less oppressive and more honorable.
I do hard work day and night so as not to impose on anyone (2 Thess. 3:8)
The Spirit is making me a workman committed to:
- excellence
- distinction
- craftsmanship
- artistry
- superiority
- down-deep
- genuine
- choice
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- first-rate
- foremost
- pure
- unadulterated
- honest
- authentic
- quality
- touch
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Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
2 Timothy 2:15
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.
-- Romans 8:28-29
I have remembered Thy Name, O LORD, in the night, and have kept Thy Law.
-- Psalm 119:55
This isn't that New Age "Positive Thinking" stuff, is it??
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