North Santa Rosa

Living With Purpose

    The federal holiday we celebrate on the first Monday of September, Labor Day, was created from the labor movement and constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contribution workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. It’s a worthy dedication to the social and economic achievements of American workers.    Perhaps the best way we could celebrate this day is by giving thanks for the many who have gone before us and carved out paths of prosperity. They have given us opportunities to contribute to an even greater workforce.

    I’ve had the privilege of working with many good people since joining the workforce after college. Some people I grew to like and admire. There were some I learned how to do a job and do it the right way. And there have been some, though few in number, I was not fond of. But, even when I disagreed with someone, I didn’t let my feelings keep me from doing my job.

    A good work ethic is one of those personal traits that are often rewarded. Most people with this characteristic are the kind of folks that have a spirit of giving. A friend I had the privilege of working with at the Santa Rosa County Health Department recently retired. Her farewell letter to colleagues went like this: “I have benefitted by working with all of you. Each of you are special to me and have taught me many things about people, health, and friendships. I’m grateful you all have supported and believed in me. I have learned, through work, that doing the right thing is not always easy, but it is a must. Integrity is a necessity. And compassion goes a long way. The health department has been an extended family to me through difficult times and blessings. When going through difficult times, I realized that coming to work and being surrounded by all of you and helping clients was one of my biggest blessings. I want to thank you all for your love, support, and friendships.”

    This to me is a true testament to the benefits of diligent work and laboring with people who support one another. These things easily give purpose and meaning to your life.

    Health is such a precious possession that if we have a day where we feel a little under the weather, we know we have no right to complain. The cost of health is beyond measure and the skill and devotion of people, like my friend, are devoted to helping others through their work. When you work to help others or provide a service or product, you are, in a sense helping yourself.

    Let us think of all who labor and work to make our country the greatest in the world. Let us give thanks with more than a mere nod for our freedom on the 4th of July. No nation remains free unless there are those who are working and serving freedom with their lives. We must all work to sustain our economy and prosperity. The cost of a vibrant civilization bears a great cost. We must work! We must do our best! And not grow weary to the point of giving up. The cost of a country’s greatness is not to be had at the bargaining counter. For when people refuse to pay, through the sweat of their brow, we will lose many things we have worked so hard to attain.

    Let us consider, in the spiritual realm, the work accomplished to build God’s kingdom. “We are laborers together with God” (1 Corinthians 3:9). And in so doing, let us vow on this Labor Day, to do the work we were called to do. This includes the following:

    Perform God’s Will. Being in God’s will is the best and most wonderful thing that can happen to anyone. His will always works for our good and His glory. Through prayer and faith, God will enable us to know His will. And when we perform His will, we become workers together with Him.

    Proclaim God’s Word. We must stand on the authority of God’s Word, arming ourselves with it—learning it, loving it, living it, and laboring with it. The Bible says the Word of God is the “sword of the Spirit” (Ephesians 6:17). Without it, the Christian is like a soldier going to battle without a weapon.

    Practice God’s Ways. At times, it seems there’s no way to stop Satanic influences from overtaking us. However, the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, kindness, and self-control” can break down strongholds. We must practice God’s ways through His Spirit. For us, being holy doesn’t mean being perfect. But it does mean giving God first place, thus making us effective workers with God (Zechariah 3:7).

    Promote God’s Work. There’s plenty of work for us to do. We limit ourselves by promoting our own endeavors, indulging in materialistic and socialistic pursuits. We will accomplish infinitely more in life, for eternal gain, by using a portion of our time, talent, and treasure to promote God’s work and help others as best we can. The key to progression and success is keeping earthly things in the right perspective and heavenly things as the top priority.

• This bi-weekly column is written by Matthew Dobson. He’s a Public Health Services Manager for the State of Florida, former U.S. Army Reserve Chaplain, and the Pastor of New Bethel Baptist Church in the New York, Florida community. His “Living With Purpose” Book series can be found and purchased on www. Amazon.com. You can contact him by email: rmdobson@liberty.edu.

Posted by on Sep 6 2020. Filed under Church News, Churches, Living With Purpose, Local, Top News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry

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