Here we are – another Labor Day. I believe I’ve gone through several of these celebrations over my 82-year lifespan. It seems ironic that we would celebrate workers by taking a day off of work to do so. However, when there’s a holiday available, we look forward to it with great anticipation. Labor Day has always indicated the end of summer. Put away your white shoes, pack a picnic lunch, plan a project to do around the house or bring in the dock at the lake. It also means it’s time for school days to return and the purchase of supplies, clothes and haircuts. Even when your children have children of their own, you still have thoughts of forgetting to pack their lunches. At least, that’s the case with me.

In my home state of Minnesota, it’s the final day of the State Fair. Today is a perfect weather day here, so thousands will be herded together like cattle and pushed from feeding trough to feeding trough for several hours. Sounds like something I’d prefer to avoid. Usually, a backyard picnic is the fare of the day. Now that our days of working are putting much done for, the celebration doesn’t mean the same. We’re just happy we’re able to get up and move around. Work was established by God, when creation began. We’re told about it in the Bible.

“The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.”    Genesis 2:15

Since the beginning of time, part of God’s plan was for his creatures to have a purpose. He put Adam in the Garden of Eden to work and take care of it. It wasn’t until sin entered the world, that work was done by the sweat of the brow and the aching of tired muscles. Over time, man began to use other human beings to do his work.  He became a boss, a supervisor or a manager.  He still had to make sure the work was done to his specification and design, but the wear and tear on his own body became less and less. As with most things, left in the hands of man, those who were managing took advantage of those under them.  This led to the formation of unsatisfied workers laboring in deplorable conditions for unreasonable periods of time and little pay.  Then came the unions.

Every first Monday of September we celebrate the worker and rightly so.  Laborers are the ones who built our country.  Buildings were erected out of steel.  Railroad tracks were laid by thousands who lost their lives in the process.  Cities were carved out of prairies and civilizations sprouted up all across the land. Today, many jobs have been replaced with machines or computers, but there is always a need for workers to man the machines.  Work is a blessing from God as it was part of His original plan for man.  We can also count on Him to be right beside us as we work.

“Without ambition one starts nothing. Without work one finishes nothing. The prize will not be sent to you. You have to win it.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson