This is the traditional Labor Day week-end, when America celebrates the workers of the nation and there are all kinds of lists like the greatest places to work that generate a buzz and stir competition among companies large and small for top honors. Aside from the obvious connections to this celebration, this week-end also unofficially marks the end of summer. Most of the pools are closing or have already closed as the kids went back to school several weeks ago and even though it will be September 22nd before we really enter the fall of the year, I wouldn’t be surprised if things tend to wind down after this week-end.
Just like the Memorial Day week-end starts off the summer festivities and the 4th of July tends to mark the middle of the summer, Labor Day is also celebrated with cook-outs and even fireworks. Around this area, Conner Prairie, the local living history museum that holds the Symphony on the Prairie concerts is winding up their programming for the year this week-end as well. The kids are already being assigned homework, fall schedules are starting to pick up steam and piano lessons and the fall football season has already started.
From our earliest recollections this time of year signifies, at least in our minds, the beginning of the new school year. And with that comes the whole mental and emotional attitude about how things will progress until next June. In fact, even though there are four more months until we approach January 1st, there are more relevant things that happen now than happen at the end of the calendar year. In several more weeks, companies will start to work on their budgets and long range plans for the next fiscal year. So as you can see it is really the start of quite a bit of work once we get past this week-end.
Oh, one more thing. It won’t be that long before we get into harvest season and after that, the land will lie dormant over the winter until everything starts anew next March or April. But let’s not forget that the whole celebration of Labor Day started with honoring the workers of the nation. I was watching CBS Sunday Morning earlier this week-end and watched a segment on some of the best companies to work for. The Radio Flyer wagon company was listed as well as Whole Foods and a host of other organizations that really honor their workers and therefore get the most from them – to the benefit of their companies.
But we are told in Colossians that those of us who profess to be followers of Jesus Christ don’t really work for any specific company – whether they made the list of best employers or not. Because we are to work for the Lord and the benefit of the kingdom of God and that includes making sure that we do all we do to the best of our ability. The verse for this evening highlights what the Scripture has to say on this point. We are told in Colossians 3:23-24, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” And that’s an important thing to remember. We are working for a much higher power than any earthbound company.
My encouragement this evening is that God wants you to remember that He is the greatest boss that ever existed. My prayer is that you will do your best, this Labor Day and every other day, to make sure that you do your current earthly assignment to the best of your ability. Have a great day in the Lord, grace and peace…