six days of work

“Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and so that the slave born in your household and the foreigner living among you may be refreshed.” Exodus 23:12

I’ve always read this as guidance about Sundays. Today, for some reason, it hit me as a commandment about working.

Our culture and our churches struggle with Sabbath observance, to be sure. But I don’t. I’m happy with Sunday as a quiet day of worship, fellowship and rest. What I struggle with, and I think most Americans do too, is the idea that I should be working more than I am.

Six days do your work. Really? The 40-hour work week is a hallmark of a civilized society. Saturdays are supposed to be for fun. In fact, smart people look for ways to work less, not more. A four or even three-day work week is the mark of a successful professional practice.

Except I’m not here for my own enjoyment. My life isn’t meant to be spent on experiences that give me pleasure. I’m here on a mission, to help my Lord restore this world and bring people back to a good relationship with him.

My job is part of that. The Bible is clear: responsible citizenship requires me to earn my own way and contribute to an orderly society. Plus, my company does good in the world. But even when I’m not working for pay, my time isn’t my own. It’s not something I can waste.

This morning, that hard truth hit me in this passage. I don’t need encouragement for more rest, more leisure. I need a kick in the pants to spend more hours productively.