Labor Day Wisdom

1 Thessalonians 4:10b-12 But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more, and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, and to attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you, so that you may behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need.

Proverbs 6:6-8. Go to the ant, sluggard; consider her ways and be wise; who having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provides her food in the summer and gathers her food in the harvest.

For a lot of people, Labor Day means two things: a day off and the end of summer. But why is it called Labor Day? Labor Day is a day set aside to pay tribute to working men and women. It has been celebrated as a national holiday in the United States since 1894 and was first celebrated by members of the labor unions. The first Monday of September was chosen as the designated day because it was in the middle of Independence Day and Thanksgiving. Labor Day facts, there you have it.

Another matter of fact is that laboring/working was addressed in scripture, long before 1894 and the barrage of sale ads we have today. In 1 Thessalonians 4 we are instructed to lead a quiet life, mind our own business and behave properly toward others so we will not find ourselves having to depend on others. Proverbs uses the hard working ant as an example of wisdom in taking care of business.

I’ll admit I’m not a huge fan of ants. They invade my house every spring, and it’s a pain to get rid of them. Yet, in this passage the Bible clearly tells us to consider the ways of the ant. So here it is.

Ants Live In Communities - In their communities, different ants have different roles. There’s an ant in charge of making sure the colony doesn’t die off (the Queen), and other ants who are the workers, foraging for food. All ants work together to ensure the survival of the colony.

In the same way, I believe God made us to be social. We are to help our friends and neighbors. I don’t think God ever meant for us to have a “go it alone” attitude. In the age of the internet, it’s easy to hole yourself up in your house and live in your own little world. But we need to be involved in the lives of the people around us, and when we see a need, we should be prepared to help when we can.

Ants Prepare for the Winter - Ants hibernate during the winter. They prepare for hibernation by eating enough food to get them through the winter. From the ants we can learn to prepare for our winters. I’m not talking about the actual winter season. I’m talking about the winters we all face in life such as job loss, financial emergencies, medical emergencies and times when the proverbial rug is pulled out from under us. You all know I am big on trusting God to provide and I know He does even during desperate circumstances. But I also believe that as much as we are able, we need to prepare for tough times while we’re enjoying good times.

The fact is, everyone will face a winter in life at one time or another. Life is full of ups and downs, and nobody is immune to tragedy and hard times. It’s definitely Biblical to prepare for the hard times in advance.

Nobody Tells the Ants to Be Prepared - The queen doesn’t tell the other ants what to do. Her purpose is to lay eggs. The worker ants gather food, because that’s how they survive. There’s nobody in charge, legislating what to do. They are responsible for themselves.

In the same way, I think the Bible calls us to be responsible. We need to look towards the future, while keeping an eye on the present. If we live too much in the present, ignoring the future, satisfying our every whim we will be in big financial trouble in the future. If we live too much for the future, we risk not appreciating the present. If we work too much, we miss out on our families’ lives. That’s not okay either.

 
The ants are balanced. They eat what they need today. They eat enough to get them through the winter. But they don’t eat too much. If they didn’t eat enough today, they’d die. If they gorged themselves on too much food, they’d explode. They find the perfect balance. And that’s what we need to do, too. My prayer for each of us is that we ask God to show us where we lack balance in our lives and we seek to live a quiet and productive life. Happy Labor Day, Friends.