Work

I saw a sign on a car bumper in the Keys that said, “What’s your hurry? You are already here.” Life slows down in the islands and locals refer to it as being on “island time”. It is a relaxed pace of life whereby people look at things as if something does not get done today, then maybe tomorrow, or perhaps another time. No hurry no worry. Many of the people who live in the Keys are afflicted with what is known as the “Key’s disease”, which means that every day and night they party down drinking, and fishing and sleeping and that is about it. Although some might think this is an ideal lifestyle, I don’t know many that are very happy and certainly their livers are worse for it.

When I return to Atlanta it is a different story. The last time I was in Atlanta I went to lunch with my son and the President of our company. They both had Blackberry phones in their hands the entire time that we were eating which by the way was not very long for them as they both wolfed down their food at an unbelievably fast rate. I had barely started eating and they were both done. It was all the more impressive because they ate that fast while simultaneously constantly monitoring their Blackberry’s and in-between mouthfuls frantically typing out little messages.

I confess that I am not much different and in fact I not only have a Blackberry, I also have another cell phone from a different carrier whereby I can have connectivity in more places. My wife told me the other day that I was developing a permanent crease on the side of my face where I talk on the phone so much. I’m in constant communication and receive over a hundred e-mails and send that many more every day. In addition to the cell phones, I have two incoming phone lines in my office and there are times when they are all ringing at once and I am receiving e-mails. About that time someone will knock on my door and want to meet with me about some important project that just “has” to be done “right now”. I still work 12-15 hours every day most of which is at a frantic pace.

The Bible has much to say about laziness and work. It goes as far as to completely refute welfare as defined by some of our liberal friends in that it states if someone will not work they should not eat. It uses the lowly ant as an example to us. Although an ant has no boss to order it around, it steadfastly works gathering food anyway. God designed us to work like that too, but how much is too much? One prayer in Proverbs asks God to give me neither poverty nor riches lest I be full and deny the Lord, or if poor be tempted to steal and profane the name of the Lord. Finding a balance and understanding what we should be working towards is the tough part.

My opinion on it is that in the end of the day this ain’t no dress rehearsal baby! This is all we are going to get on this old earth. We should make the most of it and just get er done! Don’t be a lazy bones and get the most out of life that you can, while you can. Smell the roses while you are talking on your “crack”-berry and get something accomplished out of life.

Just keep God and not material objects as your primary focus, enjoy life to its fullest and accomplish much. God has blessed us all with many talents and we should make the most of them while we can. The Proverb below has a special significance to me in that we should not overwork to be “rich” because being rich should not be the goal because the material things in this world are not everlasting. We should work hard and run the race as though we are going to win the prize, but the prize is not worldly. In other words, make the most out of life, but keep our eyes on the Lord and our minds on spiritual matters.

Proverbs 23:4
Do not overwork to be rich;
Because of your own
understanding, cease!
Will you set your eyes on that
which is not?