There have been several people over the years that's taken a tour through the United States. There have been those that have traveled to every state in the country for various reasons. I've had the privilege of seeing a few states such as Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, the tip of Georgia, Colorado, Indiana, Missouri, and Kansas to name a few. Some of those states I've been to I was passing through on a destination to another state. The states that I visited were very beautiful. Anyone who's traveled around this country will have to admit this is a beatiful country. When you take a view of all the buildings, roads, bridges, dams, and the list continues, you will have to admit there was enormous amounts of labor involved in the building of the cities within the states. All the monuments and all the historic relics I see is a testament to all the labor that man has placed into building this country. It's taken hours upon hours every single day to build the country we have today. When the first settlers came to Jamestown, Virginia in 1607, there was nothing but Native American Indians and uninhabited land. The United States as we know it today didn't possess all the luxuries and the nice edifices like we see today. Someday had dreamed up all the buildings, roads, and bridges, etc. They just didn't appear out of nowhere. Then those same people who came up with the idea to build these cities had to have a plan to implement to make it happen. Once that took place, then workers were hired to build these cities. It took years upon years of labor throughout the 403 years that settlers have inhabited the United States starting with Jamestown. It took a lot of labor to provide all the nice things we as Americans enjoy in the present generation. All this just didn't magically appear. It requires work to construct things. Anybody that works a public job knows that you have to use the members of your body if you have any intention of producing a product.
I want to quickly wish everybody a happy Labor Day today. Many people are having barbecues, spending time with friends and family, and enjoying the nice weather in various parts of our country. While we're enjoying this day in recognition of all those who labored throughout the years in America, we need to stop and remember that anything we desire to have we must labor for it. It's a fact of life that we must work. Nothing will ever be accomplished apart from labor. God could if he so desired speak a word and anything we desire to possess could appear before us instantly. God could speak and a completed edifice could appear if he so choose. God could instantaneously make goods appear without our having to labor with our hands. However, God chose for man to labor to provide for his own living. Man that will work will learn to appreciate the goodness of God and the good things in life. People that are just handed things without any requirement to work for them tend to not be appreciative of all the labor that was made at someone else's expense. God has chosen for man to labor. We can share in the rewards when we've contributed our part in a day's time. I want to look at the importance of "Striving for Excellence in Your Vocation."
Ephesians 4:1 says that we are to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we've been called. God's given everybody various gifts. Everybody possess abilities to construct things with their hands. Everybody is gifted differently. Everybody doesn't possess the same talent and God had an intention for that. Ephesians 12:6 mentions that we are then given gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us. Ephesians 4:16 mentions about the body being fitly joined together. God gives everybody different gifts so the whole body can be fitly joined together for his purpose. That's why there are different gifts in the body. Everyone can't teach Sunday School. Everyone can't sing. Everyone can't preach in the pulpit. In a local assembly, you have need for someone to operate the sound booth so the microphones will work properly, for example. There's a need for somebody to know how to clean the building. Everybody can't perform the same chores. There has to be a division of labor. Everybody needs to find a task that fits them individually and perform it with all their might. The same principle applies to the work force. Everybody can't be teachers. Everybody can't be lawyers or businessmen. There are diverse needs in the labor force just as there are diverse needs in the body of Christ. In the labor force there are people that are needed to fill the role of police officers, nurses, electricians, construction, architecture, the local grocery store, and the list continues. That's why everybody doesn't possess the same interest nor same talent. God designed it that way so the needs of the work force will be met. Our society would be in chaos if you there weren't any nurses, firefighters, construction workers, and the list continues. There's a need for all types of occupations. The Lord gifts people in various ways to fulfill the needs of the labor force. We have a responsibility to find out what our gifts are and set out to train ourselves to use that gift in the labor force.
Ecclesiastes 9:10 says "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest." First of all we need to know where our talents lie. Once we do that we need to determine if there's an occupation that would best fit us when it comes to using our talents. Whatever occupation we choose to spend the rest of our life performing, we need to first of all find out what are the requirements in pursuing that particular vocation. Will we need to attend college? Will we need to attend vocational school? Will extensive education beyond a bachelor's or master's degree be required? Those are important questions that we need to find out when we're pursuing a particular vocation that fits our talents. Whatever training we need to eventually land the job of our choice, we need to be diligent in our training so we will be adequately prepared to land the job we're seeking. Employers are looking for employees that are capable of performing the tasks that they need in a particular business. You don't want to be slothful in your education. Once you've finished your education, then you need to go job searching. I'm not going to spend the time explaining how one should groom themselves when going for a job interview. However, it's serious that we diligently prepare ourselves for an upcoming interview.
Once we land the job, we need to set out to work vigorously in our vocation. We should be very diligent in our daily chores at work. Our work is a testimony. Our work says a lot about us as an individual and even as a Christian. Slothfulness is inexcusable. We should perform the job to the best of our ability. We should strive to perform our duties accurately everyday on the job. We are paid to fulfill certain needs on the job. We should be productive each and every single day. We shouldn't settle for mediocrity. I heard a person say once that they believe mediocrity is a sin. I believe he's right because the God we serve isn't an average God. When God created the world, he didn't create a world that was average. He created a perfect world. The same with man. God created a perfect man. He didn't create man that had cancer nor lung disease. The reason why our world and mankind are in the shape they're in is because of sin. God didn't originally create us the way we are now. We are sinful because we're born in sin which can be traced back to the fruit Adam and Eve partook of in the Garden of Eden. God didn't create man in sin. God's not the author of mediocrity. If God isn't the author of mediocrity, then it's evident from that as well as the scriptures I just mentioned that God doesn't approve of mediocrity. Ecclesiastes says that whatsoever our hand findeth to do, we're to do it with all our might. There's no room for mediocrity in that verse. Romans 12:11 says we aren't to be slothful in business. We're to be fervent in Spirit. When we come to work everyday, our attitude about our occupation should be completely opposite from the world. We live in a lazy society. Many people on the job today possess the attitude they don't want to perform anymore than what's required. The truth of the matter is they try to perform less than what's required. That's not the way we should be about our vocation. We should strive everyday for excellence. We should strive to improve our skills so we can become a better asset on our jobs. I guarantee you that if you will strive for excellence everyday, there's a great possibility you could be promoted to a higher position. That's happened on a number of occasions with people. I've known of people who poured themselves into their occupation and as a result, they were promoted to a higher position. We should never be content with just being average on the job. We should strive to improve our skills all the time. There are some occupations such as the teaching profession which offer training development to the teachers during the summers when school is out. They hold teaching seminars to supposedly better enable the teachers to educate their students. Any vocation that has training development it's worth taking. Anything that would enable us to become a better asset on the job is worth it. It will pay dividends if we are perfect and whole on the job we perform. The mindset of many workers in today's work force is mind boggling. We'll never become what God desires for us to be unless we put our hand to the task and perform our vocation with all our might.
I recognize there are some jobs that Americans perform that they absolutely hate. I know there are some jobs people have to take because of the economic condition in certain parts of our country. I understand that. I've personally worked jobs that I didn't enjoy or maybe I should say would've not preferred, but I made up mind that I was going to like it what I was performing it. Much of the time how well we like our job can be dependant upon our attitude toward the job. We have a responsibility to make a living to pay our bills. Sometimes we don't have much of a choice in the matter. Regardless whether or not we're in a vocation that doesn't match our skill set, we're still to maintain a good attitude and perform the job with all our might. We have to labor to provide a living. Sometimes that requires taking jobs that we don't prefer. We have to make up our minds we're going to be productive and successful. That's the only choice we have.
It's a privilege to work. Even though we display the attitude that having to work is a curse, we would change our minds if we were to come across people who are physically disabled and would like to work. We are blessed to be able to work. Some people don't have that luxury due to physical disabilities. We should take the time this day to reflect upon the importance of labor. We enjoy many of the gadgets and conveniences we have today simply because there were people willing to work to produce those nice things we enjoy today. They weren't invented out of thin air. Somebody had to be the dreamer, somebody had to be the designer, somebody had to implement the plan, then somebody had to be willing to labor to produce that product. All the goods we have in our households are representative of the labor of millions of people around the world. Anything that we possess somebody had to be willing to produce it. We all play a role in society. We should diligently contribute our labors to our vocation . We should be strive for excellence in everything we do.
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