Created for Work ~ Ch. 20 "Sidestepping Discouragement"

"We could never learn to be brave and patient, if there were only joy in the world."

~ Helen Keller

In this chapter, Schultz adresses one of the most successful strategies in the devil's playbook: discouragement. 

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It's an undermining tool that's hard to beat for its simplicity and effectiveness. I imagine that if the devil were instructing one of his minions, he would say something like this: "My boy, if you want to defeat a Christian, all you have to do is get him to focus on himself instead of his God." That's the essence of discouragement. It's focusing on your own pathetic self instead of on Almighty God. And the consequence is debilitating. 

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A Christian who constantly allows himself to be sucked into discouragement and then wallows in it will never do anything worth speaking of. He will never work the way God intends for him to work because he's too mindful of himself and too forgetful of Christ. He is allowing his selfish feelings to dictate what he will or will not do. His is a sorry state.

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Discouragement is a thing all of us encounter it at one time or another. What matters is how we deal with it. Do we sidestep it, and go on to do what God has commanded us to do? Or do we give up, turn back, as Pliable did when he and Christian fell into the Slough of Despond? 

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William Tyndale. John Calvin. Martin Luther. Ulrich Zwingli. These are the names of some of the greatest men of the Reformation. Can you imagine the amount of discouragement they faced? They were constantly threatened by death, prison, and all manner of ghastly persecutions. They were hated, scorned, and hunted down like beasts. Yet through all this, they persevered in the work God had given them. Imagine how history would have been affected if they had let discouragement get the better of them. 

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Even though he was a brilliant composer, most of Scott Joplin's works were received with little or no enthusiasm. Ragtime music was considered by most people to be "lower class". Joplin became depressed and finally had a nervous breakdown from which he never recovered. In 1917, he was admitted to a mental hospital, where he died soon afterwards. Joplin met with discouragement and succumbed to it.

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So how does one sidestep discouragement? Here's some practical advice from Schultz:

Work even when you don't feel like it. "A discouraged man doesn't have to stop living. He doesn't have to wait until he feels joyful to accomplish his work. When you are committed to a job that you don't feel like doing, do it anyway. Waiting until you feel like working promotes laziness, destroys your productivity, and clouds your mind."

Ignore the excuses. "The leaves in the yard need raking. It's your job. Your afternoon is free, but it's raining lightly. Everybody knows that human bodies don't melt when exposed to water. Still, some discouragement sneaks into your mind to announce, 'It's too wet to work outside.' Once allowed into your mind and permitted to stay, that one discouraging thought opens the door to his buddies who enter declaring, 'By all means work on any other day but not today!' Is your body able to do the job? Yes. Forget the phantoms in your mind and let your body at it! Get a coat. Slap on your hat. Walk straight for the rake and begin. Soon you'll be finished!"

Keep your eyes focused on God, not yourself. "God has not given us a spirit of fear to back down from work. He has given us a spirit of power and of a sound mind to do the tasks before us. A good worker can keep a clear mind by tackling his work, especially when he doesn't feel like it."

~

"So we built the wall; and all the wall was joined

unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work."

~ Nehemiah 4:6

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Persevero,

Created for Work ~ Ch. 19 "Promptly After, But Not Before"

"A fool may make money, but it needs a wise man to spend it."

~ C.H. Spurgeon

Schultz opens chapter 17 of Created for Work with some basic advice about the business world: "Never pay a man for his labor before he does his work. Never recieve pay before you accomplish a task." If you intend to run a prosperous and God-honoring business, this advice is absolutely essential to bear in mind. Why? Here are two simple answers... 

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First, You Will Be Honoring God.

The Christian businessman should always seek to conduct his affairs according to the character of his Maker. "His customers, suppliers and associates should see God in the man as he transfers property and services from one person to another."

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Let's say you paid God for two pounds of roofing nails. Would He put less than that amount in your sack? Of course not. He may give you two pounds and perhaps a little extra, but not less. That's because He has enough and is generous with what He has. Therefore, just as God would never give less than the amount agreed upon, the Christian should always fulfill the bargains he makes. He should never cheat his customers or those he works for. He should work and pay with the promptness and generosity of his God.

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God also doesn't pay men before they work. You have to plow, plant, and cultivate before you can harvest. In Matthew 20, we find the parable told by Jesus about the generous householder and the workers in the vinyard. The householder agreed on a wage with those he hired, and paid them at the end of the day when the job was done. God doesn't pay before completion because He knows the nature of man. Man tends to rest after receiving his reward. Therefore, the Christian should withhold payment until the job is finished. It may be necessary to pay for the cost of the materials before they are installed; however, never pay for labor before the workers complete the task.

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Second, You Will Be Doing Yourself A Favor.

By withholding payment until the task is done, you can avoid some painful experiences. Here's an example from Schultz: "My father-in-law wanted a new seat for his motor home. He paid full price when he ordered it. Somehow, the company couldn't get their hands on that seat. After five months and numerous requests, he sent his lawyer after them. Amazingly, the company quickly called to say that his seat was ready for installation as soon as they received the lawyer's letter." When you pay someone before they work, they lose their motivation. After all, why should they go out in the cold and rain to work when they already have the money? They can just wait for a better day. On the other hand, the man who needs the money will surmount many obstacles to finish the job because he has his eye on the wealth he hopes to gain. Full men do not work like hungry men.

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Schultz says, "I don't accept money for my labor before doing a job. As all men, I work best when hungry and looking ahead for payment. If someone pays me at the start of a job, it takes away my incentive. It makes me feel like I'm in debt. Instead of working simply because I want to, when prepaid, I work because I have to, to pay the obligation."

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Following the simple rule of "Promptly After, But Not Before" allows you to put a helpful safeguard on your business. What's more, you're aligning your affairs with the character of God. "He knows how to live," says Schultz, "and it's worth your while to follow His design, especially in business. May you always have a reputation for paying promptly and generously but not before the job is finished, because that's how God does it." 

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"And behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be."

Revelation 22:12   

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Persevero,

Created for Work ~ Ch. 18 "The Plumbline"

"Important principals may, and must be, inflexible."

~ Abraham Lincoln

For those of you not familiar with the term, a "plumbline" is a line (as of cord) that is weighted at one end and is used especially to determine the verticality or straightness of something (you can make a simple one by taking a piece of string and tying a rock to one end). And when we say something is "plumb", we mean that it is exactly straight or true.

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Accurate measurements and calculations are fundamental to any project. They form the foundation of all well-laid plans.

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With them, you're sure to succeed. Without them, you're toast.

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With them, you can work smoothly, knowing the particular specifications your project must meet. Without them, your work will be slow and full of the unecessary hinderances which arise from poor planning.

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With them, everything will fall into place in the end. Without them, forget it.

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Notice the word "accurate". It's not enough to just have measurements and calculations. They must be accurate measurements and calculations. Any other kind is insufficient, misleading, and ultimately harmful. The importance of this fact cannot be over-stated.

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Furthermore, if accurate measurements and calculations are key in earthly affairs, are they not even more important in eternal affairs? If it is essential that houses and towers be built plumb and square and level, is it not much more essential that lives be so? Indeed, yes. A rock and a piece of string serves as a trustworthy plumbline to build a house by; and the Bible serves as a trustworthy plumbline to live by. God's Word is the universal plumbline, the only thing by which a man may accurately measure himself and his work.   

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Sadly, many people do not acknowledge this to be the case. They ignore the Bible and the divine instructions it gives. They throw away the yardstick God has provided them, and then substitute their own. They arrogantly assume they can live by their own rules. Some live based on how they feel; others let selfish desires take control; still others have no rule but lawlessness. In every case, the end result is misery, chaos, and failure.

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If our lives, including the way we work and do business, do not match up with the specifications given in the Bible, we're headed for disaster. Bob Schultz says, "Some folks mistakenly think that the Bible is for the religious world and not the business world. That kind of thinking leads any society into chaos. God intended His Word to be the standard measurement for industry and commerce. By it, men exchange goods and services in a way where everyone profits. Wherever men align their businesses with a practical understanding of the Bible, their society prospers."

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"Suppose," Schultz continues, "you go to a garage sale and see a $600 table saw with a $200 sign on it. You've been looking for one just like it. Do you slap down the cash and buy it before somebody else sees it? Maybe, but maybe not. As you talk with the woman holding the garage sale, you find that her husband died six months before and she is selling his tools to help make ends meet. She has no clue to the worth of the saw. What is the right thing to do? Here's a quote from God's Plumbline, 'Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees... To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless!' (Isaiah 10:1-2). If you ever take advantage of a widow in  a business transaction, watch out. God will surely reprove you. Look through the Bible, observe God's heart for widows, and align with Him. If you need that table saw, buy it. However, don't pay the $200 dollars she ignorantly asked for. If you have it, pay the $600 it's worth before someone else comes along and takes advantage of her. If you dont have $600, tell her what it's worth and offer her as much as you can. That's God's standard."

~

The Bible is the godly business man's instruction manuel. He aligns his work with it and with it alone. He rejects personal feelings, selfish desires, and lawlessness as contrary to God's commands. He measures his business by God's Word, and flourishes accordingly.  "The simple rock and string set the standard for every building in the world, from the skyscrapers of New York to the wooden huts in the Congo. The simple Bible, in the same way, sets the standard for business and work, from the most complex corporation to the lemonade stand on the sidewalk. As you go about life's business, may you learn to be a good builder, aligning all your affairs with God's Plumbline."

"Thus he showed me: and, behold, the Lord stood upon a wall made by a plumbline, with a plumbline in his hand. And the Lord said unto me, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A plumbline. Then said the Lord, Behold, I will set a plumbline in the midst of my people Israel..."

~ Amos 7:7-8

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Persevero,

Created for Work ~ Ch. 17 "Plodding"

"Obstacles are the glory of life."

~ Anonymous

 Proverbs 26:13 declares, "The sluggard saith, 'There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets." Matthew Henry, in his commentary on this passage, says,

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"As men's folly makes them slothful, so their slothfulness makes them foolish. Observe, 1. What the slothful man really dreads. He dreads the way, the streets, the place where work is to be done and a journey to be gone; he hates business, he hates everything that requires care and labor. 2. What he dreams of, and pretends to dread - a lion in the way. When he is pressed to be diligent, either in his worldly affairs or in the business of religion, this is his excuse (and a poor one it is, as bad as none). There is lion in the way, some insuperable difficulty or danger which he cannot pretend to grapple with. Lions frequent woods and deserts; and, in the day time, when man has business to do, they are in their dens... but the sluggard fancies, or rather pretends to fancy, a lion in the streets, whereas the lion is only in his own fancy, nor is he so fierce as he is painted. Note, It is a foolish thing to frighten ourselves from real duties by fancied difficulties." 

~

Such a man as this passage describes will certainly never get very far in anything. He doesn't doggedly move forward despite all obstacles; he backs down at the first sign of difficulty, and refuses to budge until everything's "all clear". He doesn't accomplish anything worthwhile in life because he only attempts the "easy" stuff; stuff that doesn't require blood, sweat and tears. When confronted will a hard job, he throws out a bunch of excuses and scuttles off. He's spineless and sluggardly, and unfit for the work God has for him.

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Let's face it: life's tough. Things rarely go the way we think they should. Often, when you have a job to do, everything seems to fall apart, and little hindrances suddenly crawl out of the woodwork: tools are missing - the weather isn't cooperating - you have a headache, etc. In short, you find that you have an army of excuses at your disposal, stating why you can't do this or that at such and such time because of so and so. You tell yourself that you'll just tackle that project another day, when things are going better. You say, with the Proverb's sluggard, "There is a lion in the way", and as a result, nothing gets done.

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Bob Schultz says, "Often, a slight hindrance keeps us from being able to work at peak efficiency. That is no excuse for not doing what you can. The man who waits for perfect conditions before he starts his projects will never start anything. On the contrary, the man who begins today, even when he knows it will be a small beginning, will find a completed project at the end of his efforts." 

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The correct response to difficulty isn't to fire off excuses. The correct response is to ask God for help and get to it. Be an overcomer, who conquers his tasks, even if it means plodding, taking that task in small steps. You'll soon find that those small steps are better than no steps at all.

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God's man isn't afraid of hardship; rather he rejoices in it. He trusts God to see him through, and moves steadily forward. He accomplishes the tasks God has in store for him because he doesn't back down when the going gets tough. He's willing to persevere, and shed the blood, sweat, and tears required to get the job done. He plods on, shuns excuses, and shows that where there's a will, there's a way.

"The sluggard will not plow by reason of the cold; therefore he shall beg in harvest, and have nothing."

~ PROVERBS 20:4

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Persevero,

 

Created for Work ~ Chapter 16 "My Instructor"

"Quiet waiting before God would save from many a mistake and from many a sorrow."

~ J. Hudson Taylor

All of us have "Mission: Impossible"s to face: those tasks that look way too big, bad, and ugly for us to grapple with. One cannot go through life without encountering walls that seem impossible to climb, oceans that seem impossible to swim, or races that seem impossible to run. It's inevitable. The question isn't "Will I face such things?" The question is, "How will I respond?"

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There are a variety of ways one can respond to the "big, bad, and ugly" things of life. Here are some of the most common...

1. Complain. This is what got the Israelites in trouble. Whenever they found themselves facing overwhelming odds, they started playing the "Woe is I" game. Too often, we are just like the Israelites, and voices which should be lifted in praise to the Lord are used to murmur against Him.  
2. Ignore. We try to take our problem and sweep it under the rug, hoping it will somehow magically disappear. We convince ourselves that a trouble unacknowledged is a trouble  nonexistent. Of course, this is really poor reasoning. Ignoring a problem will not fix that problem. Rather, it will most likely cause that problem to grow, leaving us worse off than before.
3. Despair. This response often goes hand in hand with complaining. When we face a trial, and realize just how big it is and how little we are, we go belly up. We quit, and let our troubles suck all the joy out of us. Instead if rejoicing in the Lord, we moan, groan, and say, "Just shoot me, I can't take it anymore". 
4. Panic. Sometimes, we treat life like some sort of arcade game. We're fine as long as we feel that we've got things under control. When things get real tough, however, and we begin to feel like we're losing our grip, we automatically rush to hit the big red panic button in the lower left corner of the screen. This is a very childish response to trouble. Running around like headless chickens is a sure way to get absolutely nowhere. 
5. Rage. This respones is akin to the toddler's temper-tantrum. When things don't go like we want them to, we steam and stew over it, inwardly shaking our fists and gnashing our teeth. We resent the tough situations and trials we are dealing with, and fight madly against them.  In reality, however (although we often won't admit it), our steaming and stewing is against God, who in His infinite wisdom, prepared those very trials for us. 

So, there you have five common responses to the "big, bad, and the ugly" things of life. All of them are wrong, of course (and on further consideration, these responses are more like reactions). There really is only one right way to respond to those times when we're between a rock and a hard place: "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not on thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths." (Prov. 3:5-6)

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In this passage from chapter 16 of Created for Work, Bob Schultz shares the following story... 

"At two o' clock in the morning, I couldn't sleep... In a few hours my boss expected me to begin the interior woodwor on a new house. Not just any new house, but the biggest and fanciest house I've ever built. The foundation was easy enough. We got through the framing O.K. However, now he wanted me to install the trim and I had only a little experience."

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"Thinking of the massive entry staircase, the expensive walnut paneling for the living, the truckload of tongue-and-groove ceder for the library left me weak with fear. I'd never nailed on one piece of baseboard before, let alone all this costly wood. How could I do anything but fail?

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"I poured my heart out to God telling Him my fears and worries. My spirit calmed but my stomach remained in a knot. From two o' clock to six o' clock I read the Bible, listening for His answer to my need...

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"By the time the sun came up, God had calmed my fears. He promised His wisdom and convinced me that He would communicate it. I wasn't overflowing with boldness that morning, but I did have the courage to show up for work. He was there and He kept His word.

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"I stood in the living room holding the first sheet of paneling. A painter walked through the door beside me. 'Hey,' he said, 'I saw a carpenter once putting on some of that and he...' At that point the painter began to speak as if he was lecturing to a classroom of new paneling installers. After telling me everything I needed to know, he apologized, 'I don't know why I told you all that, I'm sure you knew it already.' Embarassed by his outburst of information, he ducked from the room.

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" I followed God's advice given to me through the painter. The paneled walls turned out beautifully. No one would imagine that the installer began without knowing how.

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"My God taught me how to build stairs. I blundered my way into the double valutes, upeasings, and newels. With His help I precisely installed all the parts... Throughout the job, God brought to my mind just what I needed to know to finish the house and to exceed my boss's expectations...

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"God loves to speak, to teach, to lead. He constantly teaches anyone willing to learn. A good worker will listen for God's practical instructions and follow them. I hope that describes you. If it doesn't, start today to pay attention to the wisdom God is speaking to you. Your God isn't

a distant being who left the world to fend for itself. He's constantly speaking. May you have ears to hear."

~

"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." - John 10:27

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Persevero,

Scribe

Created for Work ~ Chapter 15 "How Could It Be My Fault?"

Self-defense is instinctive in most of us. When confronted in any kind of threatening manner, our first reaction is to get into a fighting stance; to let fly a right swing and a left jab. This instinct can be a good thing. At the same time, it can be a bad thing...

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Self-defense can be good thing if your accosted by a thug in a dark alley at night. In such a situation, it is usually best to let loose with whatever weapons are handy, whether that's your .38 Special, rocks, your pocket-knife, or your fists. Now, I seriously doubt any of you have ever  had to get rough with a thug in a dark alley at night. However, there is another kind of self-defense - the bad kind - which we all use quite often in everyday situations - at home, at work, at school, or at play. And it's this kind of self-defense that Bob Schultz addresses in Chapter 15 of Created for Work.

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When somebody blames us for a problem, what is too often our first reaction? We get defensive. We "let loose" with a string of hot words, indignantly pointing out that "it's not my fault". This is the bad kind of 'self-defense' I was talking about, and it's rooted in an "I just can't bear to be wrong" attitude - in other words, it's rooted in three things:

1. Pride. We feel that if someone proves us wrong, it will damage our ego. 
2. Arrogance. We think we "know it all" and therefore we can't possibly be wrong.
3. Stubbornness. We refuse to acknowledge our fault, even in the face of evidence.

Everybody struggles with these things to some extent or another. Pride, arrogance, and stubbornness are sin, and sin is inherent to man's nature. However, Christians are called to something different than sin and wickedness; they are called to overcome their inherent nature through Christ, and to "put off the old man with his deeds, and... put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him." (Col. 3:10) 

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So, instead of automatically jumping the gun when trouble comes our way and shouting "It's not my fault!", we should stop, pray, and really consider what we're faced with. God will give wisdom to those who humbly ask Him. When a problem is considered in a prayerful way, God often reveals to us facets of the situation of which we were not aware. Sometimes, you might just find that you were in fact the one to blame. Schultz says, "We have the tendency to see the faults of others before considering our own shortcomings. Convinced of our right standing, we are blind to the fact that we might be part or even the whole problem."  Many people (and I've been among them at times), when faced with this, simply bluster and storm about it, choosing to be stubborn and hard-headed, which only increases the strife. This is not the way to handle things. The way to handle things is with humility. This all-important weapon of the Christian faith is one of the greatest ways we can combat pride. It will open many doors which pride closes. It is requisite to fighting the good fight of faith.

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 Therefore, "the next time you have a disagreement with somebody, or perhaps have some other trouble on your hands, pause and ask yourself, 'Am I part of the problem?'... It's the godly man who looks for his own foot before he criticizes somebody else."

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"Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults."

- Psalm 19:12

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Persevero,

Scribe

Created for Work ~ Chapter 14 "Transported with Delight"

"Happiness is a thing to be practiced, like the violin."

~ John Lubbock

Ever hear the "If only I had this, I'd be happy" line before? I'm sure you have. I've heard it too, and sometimes, it has come from my lips. But did you ever stop to think what such a statement really reflects? It reflects greed. It reflects discontent and ungratefulness. It reflects the heart of a man who isn't delighting in the blessings God has already given him.

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Matthew 12:34 declares that "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." Just as a simple cough can alert doctors to the presence of a grave illness, words can be used to determine the state of a man's heart. This considered, such words as "If only I had this..." reflect a discontented and greedy heart. 

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So, what is the antidote for discontent and greed? What helps a heart to be truly "transported with delight", as Schultz terms it? Well, it can be summed up in one word: thankfulness. And, unfortunately, being thankful is nowhere as easy as it might sound. However, it is requisite to driving out greed and discontent: without a heart thankful to God, having a truly happy heart is impossible.

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When you begin feeling discontent getting a hold of you, the first thing to do is pray; next, begin listing, either in your mind or on paper, all of the blessings God has given you. This practice will not only banish the thoughts of discontentedness from your mind and heart, but it will strengthen your appreciation for everything God has bountifully provided you with.

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One way of practically putting to use the principle of thankfulness is by simply enjoying your food. Schultz says, "Have you ever tried putting a bite of food in your mouth then laying down your fork and not picking it up again until your mouth is empty? That's a challenge for me. Often, there's another full fork waiting in the air before I finish chewing the first. When I catch myself eating like that, it's a reminder that I'm not enjoying what I have. I'm greedily longing for more." 

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Another thing to consider is how quickly greed can blind a man to the truly valuable things of life. A man who wastes all his time pursuing things which aren't his soon loses sight of what he should be focused on. Instead of rejoicing in the bounties God has already bestowed, he looks longingly after other things which God has not seen fit to give him. He puts other stuff in the place of God. This stuff may not be bad in and of itself, but whenever we let "stuff" come before God, we are heading out into dangerous waters.

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Sometimes, God withholds certain things from us for our benefit. Something which we desperately desire may do us harm rather than good. Therefore, when God denies us something, we shouldn't grumble: rather, we should praise Him. God knows what is good for His children (Matt. 7:11). We would do well to trust Him in that, instead of fighting against His will in areas of our lives.

~

Towards the end of chapter 14, Schultz says, "Thankful enjoyment of God's gifts is one remedy against the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. Whether it's food, clothes, your home, or your business, may you learn to take pleasure in what you have and thereby live thankful, contented, and joyful in your Father's presence."

~

"Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy." 

~ 1 Timothy 6:17

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Persevero,

Scribe

Created for Work ~ Chapter 13 "Me Own Dog Tucker"

There is a fable by Aesop which corresponds well with this chapter of Created for Work. In the fable, a pot of honey is accidentally upset and its contents spill out upon the ground. The alluring scent soon brings around a large number of flies, who alight on it and begin to gorge themselves. However, their greed turns out to be fatal to them, for no sooner do they try and fly away than they discover that their wings are stuck fast in the sticky sweetness upon which they had so lately been feasting. Thus they died, sacrificing their lives for the sake of a little sweetness.

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Schultz tells us that his wife once owned a dog, a Welsh Corgi whom she named "Me Own Dog Tucker". Tucker loved to eat, and would gorge himself to fatness on anything he could. This greed for food ended up contributing to the dog's premature death, when he ate something he shouldn't have: it turned cement-like inside his intestines and killed him.

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Both of these stories warn against the same thing, a vice which will drag people down like an eighty-pound sack of lead. You probably already guessed what it is, and if you guessed "greed" you're dead on.

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When we let a desire or appetite for something consume us, we've let greed get a foothold; and unfortunately, greed isn't the type of enemy that will be satisfied with just a foothold. It will struggle for complete mastery. Imagine a man driving on a highway. At first he's cautious, and keeps his eyes where they should be. Gradually, however, he loses focus and gets distracted by a little speck on his windshield. He becomes so fascinated by it that he disregards all else. The consequence is that he begins spiraling out of control and crashes, causing a large wreck and injuring other drivers as well. Likewise, a man controlled by greed, who disregards everything else in an effort to gain what isn't his, who refuses to acknowledge Christ as the true focus of life - such a man will eventually destroy himself, and bring harm to those connected to him, too.

~

Schultz makes several good points regarding the effects of greed on a person:

• Greed prevents a man from enjoying what he already possesses. It causes him to continually want what he doesn't have and leaves him in a state of discontent and ingratitude.
• Greed blinds a man's understanding. He loses the ability to see how little things fit into the bigger picture of life. By focusing intently on only one thing, a man loses the ability to  see how that object relates to other areas of life. 
• Greed causes a man to lose his awareness of God's presence. Instead of setting his affections on things above, he sets them on the temporary things of this earth. His priorities are switched, and he gets mixed up.

~

When I think of greed, what comes to mind automatically is Ebenezer Scrooge - the scraping, stingy, grasping miser of Dickens' A Christmas Carol. But greed attacks from more angles than the counting house - it attacks at home, at school, at play, and at the job site. Schultz says, "For many folks, life is a rat race... they race after something in the distance, trying to get there before any other rats arrive. When they achieve that car, house, wife, career, or other object they've been chasing, they pause only long enough to put it into their shopping cart before zooming on to get something more. Rat-race runners live discontentedly, without understanding and without the secure pleasure of God's presence." 

~

"I know what God wants to give you. It's a contented heart, full of understanding and joyfully aware of His presence. May His desire be yours today."

~

"His watchmen are blind: they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant."

~ Isaiah 56:10-12

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Persevero,

Scribe

Created for Work ~ Chapter 12 "Maintenance"

"I wish to preach, not the doctrine of ignoble ease, but the doctrine of the strenuous life."

~ Theodore Roosevelt

Ok, I'm sure we've all struggled with this at one time or another: we get something and forget to take care of it. We forget to maintain. We make excuses about why we can't maintain. We even blatantly refuse to maintain. 

~

Maintaining something is hard work; it takes consistency, motivation, a strong will, and a recognition of inadequacy. Ever make a New Years resolution, then try to keep it for even a month? It's difficult to do, isn't it? Bob Schultz says, "Like resolutions, it's easier to build a new house than to maintain an old one... Houses need repainting, reroofing, recaulking, retiling, and replacing of everything from windows to vinyl floors... Building isn't the hard part, maintaining is." 

~

I have a guinea pig named Beethoven. He must be fed and watered regularly. He must have his cage changed of bedding regularly. He must be groomed and cleaned as well. Sometimes taking care of Beethoven isn't always what I'd like most to be doing; however, it's something I have an obligation to do as his owner, whether I always feel like doing it or not.

~

I mentioned that maintenance takes consistency, motivation, a strong will, and a recognition of our own inadequacy :

• One problem that usually gets in the way of consistency is our feelings. Ever hear somebody say, "I just don't feel like it"? That's the attitude I'm talking about. It's letting your fickle whims determine what you will or will not do. It the opposite of letting Christ control your actions and submitting to His authority in your life. A person who goes through life leaning on his feelings will never get anything worthwhile done - and all because he didn't "feel like it".
• Ingratitude is a key enemy of motivation. We often lack the drive to do because we are ungrateful for what has already been done. Instead of thanking God that he has provided a car for our needs, we gripe and grumble about maintenance: washing the car, vacuuming it, changing the oil, replacing the tires, etc. That's poor stewardship. That's ingratitude. That's sin.
• The only way to have a truly strong will is to submit to God's will. If we stubbornly resist God's instruction, correction, and guidance, and insist on choosing our own path, we show not a strong will, but a weak, stubborn, misguided will.
• Finally, we must recognize that we can do nothing worthwhile leaning on our own strength. We are completely inadequate, and therefore must do all we do in Christ. He is  the only one completely adequate. Left to ourselves, we wouldn't accomplish anything of worth.

Schultz points out that "People go through life acquiring things. They think that if they can just get a house or car, they'll be set. Ben Franklin said it's easier to build two fireplaces than to provide wood for one. A man who cannot see life as an exercise in maintenance collects until he's overrun with things. Then, unless he gets rid of most of it, he spends the rest of his life as a slave, attempting to maintain his collections or simply watching them decay around him... If you plan to own things, plan to maintain them."

~

Schultz also reminds us that God "created the world and currently maintains it (Colossians 1:15,16)." He is our supreme example! "Imagine what it takes to maintain a water system that feeds every living plant and animal on the planet. Think of the challenges to provide continual oxygen, heating, and cooling for a whole world."

~

Furthermore, God "created us in His image. Those who accept this role prosper in His kingdom. Those who won't adopt a maintenance mentality, suffer consequences." 

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In conclusion, Schultz says, "Acquiring is easy. Maintaining is the challenge. May God place within you the vision and drive to take care of what He has given you, before you long for something new."

~

"Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." ~ Proverbs 4:23

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Persevero,

Scribe

Created for Work ~ Chapter 11 "Initiative"

Sometimes, as I'm working on a project around the house, my youngest sister Elisabeth assumes the role of my assistant. If I'm replacing light bulbs in the ceiling, she'll usually stand at the foot of the ladder pointing her little fingers upwards, and (more often than not) trying to climb up the ladder after me. If I'm building a new bookshelf, she'll seat herself close by the tool bag and give me instructions on how to put the thing together. She even understands the role tools play in the job. When I ask for the hammer, she picks it up (with grunt or two for emphasis) and plops it in my hand. When I need nails, she selects a few, warns me in toddler lingo not to drive one through my finger, and hands them over. She also likes to give me things even before I ask for them. Sometimes I'll turn around and find that she's already made a pile of different tools at my back. Even as young as two years old, she's learning to take initiative...

~

At the beginning of Chapter 11 in Created for Work, Bob Schultz gives us a quote by a man named Samuel Ewig. It divides people into three basic categories when it comes to work... 

"Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all."

Of course, as Christians, we are neither called to turn up their noses as work nor to entirely neglect it. We are called to turn up our sleeves. But there's an aspect of 'turning up our sleeves' that we often overlook... it's called initiative, and if you ask today's average worker what it is, he'll look at you as if you're talking Swahili. 

~

In an age when sluggards and bad workers are increasingly abundant, a man who does every single thing required him is considered by many to be a dream come true. But is God impressed by such a worker? Schultz points out that "In God's eyes, only doing everything you are commanded to do is the base line, the starting point. Jesus said, 'So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do'."

~

So, only doing what you are required doesn't cut it in God's eyes. He considers such a worker to be "unprofitable". That considered, what does a Christ-honoring worker look like? For one thing, he not only does all that is required of him, he does more than is required of him. He takes initiative - goes the extra mile - doesn't stop at the bare minimum - doesn't say, "Well, I've done everything that I was told to do, so there". 

~

God, the supreme example for all workers, takes initiative. He often blesses us abundantly even before we ask Him to. He may undertake to teach us a lesson before we know that we need one. He protects us from many things we may not even know exist.

~

Of course, initiative must be balanced with prudence, or we can get into trouble. You want to make sure that whatever job your doing is in accordance with the wishes of your boss. If you rashly jump into something, you may end up giving your boss a headache instead of making his day.

~

And remember - initiative isn't something only for the workplace. It should be applied in all areas of your life - at home, during lessons, at your friend's house. "Wherever you go," says Schultz, "look for what needs to be done and do it."

~

"And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear." ~ Isaiah 62:24

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Persevero,

Scribe

 Get your own copy of Created for Work here

Created for Work ~ Chapter 10 "Increase"

All of us are probably familiar with the Parable of the Three Talents (Matthew 25:14-29)...

~

Jesus likens the Kingdom of Heaven unto a man who goes on a journey to another country. Before he leaves, he calls his three servants to him, and gives them each a gift: to the first he gives five talents, to the second two talents, and to the third servant one talent...

~

While their master is away, the first two servants use their gifts wisely, earning double the amount they began with. The third servant, however, displays very different character; instead of using his talent to make increase, he does something very foolish - he digs a hole in the ground, plops his gift into it, and buries it...

~

Well, the master of the house finally returns from his travels. The first servant brings him not only the original five talents, but five talents extra. Likewise, the second servant gives his master four talents instead of only two. What about the third servant? Did his money magically sprout in the ground like a seed and yield a crop? Hardly. Instead of returning his lord's money with profit, he returns it just like he received it. There's no gain, no increase. Just that one, single talent. As a result of this slothfulness, the master of the house strips the unprofitable servant of the talent he was given, and orders him to be thrown into "the outer darkness."

~

With this story in mind, we'll look at Chapter 10 of Bob Schultz' Created for Work...

~

Our God is a God of Increase. "In [His] design," Schultz points out, "everything He creates produces something, 'some thirty, and some sixty, and some an hundred' (Mark 4:8). It isn't so much the amount of increase that matters, rather the fact that each part of creation makes increase in proportion to the resources God provides."  

~

In the first place, we should make increase physically. A good and industrious man will take life's challenges head on, and benefit by them. He will strive hard to make progress in whatever work is set before him. He will use whatever talents he has - whether it's landscaping, woodworking, or digging ditches - to make increase. The slothful man will do just the opposite. He'll let his talents lie cold and unused. He'll make zero progress, and shirk the problems of life. To such a man, "increase" is an unknown word. 

~

We should also make increase in our spiritual lives as well. A Christian who seldom reads the Scriptures, acts like the world, and takes his faith lightly, is of no use to the cause of Christ except to serve as a warning to others. Our goal should be to bring glory to God, edify fellow believers, and bring the unsaved to the salvation found in Christ. Our words and actions should further the Kingdom of God, not injure it's cause.

~

When Christ returns, will He find that we have been diligent and made increase with the tools - physical and spiritual - which He provided? Or will He find that we have buried them in the ground?

~

Schultz says in conclusion, "Don't sit around bored with life. Look around you. Meager as they might be, find your resources, add them to your labor and make some increase today." 

~

"I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase." 

~ 1 Corinthians 3:6-7

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Persevero,

Scribe 

Get your own copy of Created for Work here

Created for Work ~ Chapter 9 "Grudges"

"We should be too big to take offense and too noble to give it."

~ Abraham Lincoln

English author G.A. Henty wrote over a hundred historical fiction works ranging from ancient history to the Middle Ages to the late 19th century. He also wrote myriad short stories, which are just as compelling and masterful as his novels. One such short story is Surly Joe, a tale about a grizzled, work-worn fisherman who, after making a gut-wrenching sacrifice for the sake of a promise he made, becomes hard-hearted and bitter. He lives many years with this grudge, until one day when... well, I won't ruin the story for you in case you decide to read it for yourself. Suffice it to say that the theme of the story is the power of hate versus the power of forgiveness: which brings us to the topic of this chapter in Created for Work...

When we let bitterness or dislike towards a certain person grow and take root in our hearts, we're setting ourselves up for trouble and misery. A grudge don't do nobody no good (pardon the double negatives). To the contrary - it destroys people. It hinders their usefulness to God. A man who cannot forgive others has forgotten what he himself has been forgiven. His spirit becomes sour ~ "Malice eats it like a canker" (The Two Towers, Book IV, Chapter VI by J.R.R. Tolkien).

As a carpenter, Bob Schultz has worked alongside many people over the years. One such person was Peter Wolf, who worked with Schultz seasonally for sixteen years. "I believe that God brought us together to show how two imperfect men can remain useful friends when they are willing to forgive and overlook each other's faults."

At one time, Schultz was helping Peter install very small pieces of trim in a tour house. "Peter walked up and said that he had trouble putting on those parts and wanted them installed with his special glue that burns your brain cells with every breath. I wasn't having a problem using white glue. I couldn't understand his concern. He said that if I didn't want to use his super glue to find something else to do. He would finish it."

When someone offends us, we have two options:

1. Forgive and forget, remembering how much we've been forgiven by Christ
2. Nurse our resentment, and let a grudge sink its claws into our spirits.

And actually, as Christians, we have only one option ~ to forgive as we have been forgiven. Our selfish, sinful nature, however, wants to do the very opposite, and we have to battle the temptation to succumb to a grudging, hating attitude. When we refuse to forgive, we are resisting God and His command to love others (Matthew 22:37-40).

Schultz defines a grudge as "the inward reluctance to give. it's the unwillingness to benefit the people you resent. When you have a grudge against someone you cut them out of your life, even when they are in the same room with you. You don't smile and only talk if absolutely required. A good grudge holder doesn't look at the other person. He refuses to acknowledge their presence. He can be very pleasant to everyone else, yet carefully avoid the target of his grudge."

A person who holds a grudge is ungrateful. He forgets the multitude of his shortcomings in the process of focusing on somebody else's. That attitude clearly contradicts Matthew 5:43-48. Can you imagine how it would be if God held grudges against us? After all, we give Him plenty of reason to. What if, in response to our sinfulness, He completely cut us off from Himself and His love and mercy? Of course, God isn't sinful like we are. Instead of hate, He offers us love. Instead of resentment, he offers us grace and forgiveness. Instead of grudges, He offers us eternal life.

Schultz says, "When you hold a grudge you think you are punishing the other person by withholding your wonderful self. 'I won't smile at them; they'll feel the pain; that'll serve them right.' But the opposite is true. Holding a grudge is punishment on you. You lose the privilege to deliver God's water of life. You stagnate and stink. You're the one emotionally drained. You miss God's joy and fellowship...

"It is the nature of God to love sinners. They fight and curse against Him. In return He showers the best on them. If a man desires to live a Christian life, he must learn to cooperate with God, to be His pipeline to a fallen race of people."

"Bitter people make themselves the judges, the jury, and the executioners."

~ Pastor Jeff Niell

"Grudge not against one another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door." ~ James 5:9

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Persevero,

Scribe

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Get your own copy Bob Schultz' Created for Work here

Created for Work ~ Ch. 8 "Great-Grandpa Cornelius"

Rudyard Kipling's Captains Courageous is a classic story that everyone should have the privilege of reading. Besides being a convincing sea adventure - complete with storms, narrow escapes, and plenty of danger - it shows a drastic transformation: the turning of a spoiled, useless boy named Harvey Cheyne, into a selfless, industrious young man, able and ready to provide for himself and others.

In today's world, there are millions of boys that are spoiled, selfish, lazy, and discontent, just like Harvey Cheyne. But unlike Harvey Cheyne, they do not undergo a change for the better. They would rather remain useless and indolent than have anything to do with something which requires them to act like men-in-training.

In times past, boys were expected to be assets, not liabilities. They were expected to be hard-working, not slothful. They studied hard and learned skills at an early age which rendered them capable of providing for their needs and the needs of their future family. They earned their way through life instead of letting others do it for them. What about today?

Today, its the other way around. Boys are increasingly being looked upon as just boys, rather than men-in-training. They do not even attempt to be of any use to others - they demand others be of use to them. They are irresponsible, incapable, ungrateful. In short, they are entirely the opposite of what godly young men should be.

Chapter 8 of Created for Work is directed primarily to boys - boys who wish to become industrious men. Schultz begins by explaining that while he was on a summer camping trip, he made the acquaintance of an old gentlemen named Mr. Cornelius. "He fascinated me," says Schultz, "by his firsthand descriptions of life eighty years ago. Back then, everyone learned to work at a young age. He drove a team of horses when he was only six years old. At six, he possessed a mind for work, an able body, and a purpose within him that pushed him to work. In his day, the wage for driving a team could provide the needs of a family. Therefore, at an age when most children today are starting the first grade, Great-Great Grandpa Cornelius had the skill and confidence to support a home."

These days, of course, things are rather different. A six-year old can't go out anymore and earn a man-sized wage. But Schultz reminds us that "every diligent boy who starts early, with a purpose, will achieve it. He must face and overcome the thieves that steal his time and the laziness that strips him of his resources."

As young men, we must never let ourselves fall into the trap of assuming that "someday [we'll] earn a living and support a family, but for now there is nothing to do but play sports and computer games". We are to be getting ready for the future, not dawdling in the present. Amusement has its place in life, but it should not be the focus of a young man's attention. There is a time for play, but not when there is work to be done. Instead of spending every spare minute in pursuing fun, we should take time to consider what we are striving to become: God-fearing men who can work hard and honestly, be skilled and efficient in tasks given us, and provide for those under our care.

Although age-wise you may not be able to go out into the world and take on a man-sized job with man-sized wages, there are plenty of ways you can be an asset right now to those around you, starting with your family. Schultz asks us to consider the following two examples...

• Suppose you have $2 burning a hole in your pocket. You want a treat or a toy. Instead of wasting your money on pleasure, consider buying something useful for your family's dinner tonight. You could possibly afford a can of vegetables, a head of lettuce, or maybe a pound of meat...
• If you don't have any money at all, you can still work toward providing your own way by giving your labor... What labor can you provide to keep your home in good working order?

Also, "don't start by trying to earn from your parents or your sister. Learn as soon as possible to get an income. There are times to buy and sell between siblings and parent, but the goal is to bring resources into your home by a service or a product you provide to someone outside your home."

~

My brother and I are in charge of the janitorial duties at our church. Through this job, we are both able to earn a good, solid income and minister to the needs of our fellow believers at the same time. This job is a training ground for a future time when we'll take on even bigger tasks.

~

Schultz reminds us that the goal isn't to amass wealth. Rather, the goal is to learn how to be an industrious, capable man. The great apostle Paul even worked hard to earn his own way through life (Acts 20:34).

If you don't have a particular skill needed for a particular job, learn it. Ask somebody to teach you. Practicing that skill - whether it's landscaping, car washing, or window cleaning - will help you prepare for the future.

"A small beginning is better than no beginning. A day is coming when you'll sit down to eat in a home where you provide the shelter and food. You'll gratefully look back to when you purposed to begin paying your own way even when though you had only pennies to your name."

~

Which Harvey will you be? The old one, or the new one?

~

"When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things." ~ I Corinthians 13:11

Persevero,

Scribe

Recommended Reading: Captains Courageous by Rudyard Kipling, Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris

Created for Work ~ Ch. 7 "Exit Strategy"

"In all the trade of war, no feat is nobler as a brave retreat."

~ Samuel Butler

Having a good exit strategy is important. Very important. In fact, there are few things more important. A wise man will always keep the future in mind. He'll consider the end of a thing even before he's begun it.

~

Examples of exit strategies can be seen everywhere. Commercial airlines have them, for instance. "Before you ever leave the ground," Schultz says, "attendants provide an exit strategy. They tell you how to use your seat for a life jacket if the plane landed on water. In the unlikely event of the plane losing cabin pressure, they show you how to employ oxygen masks. Exit doors are clearly noted and you recieve instructions on how to use the evacuation slide. Airline companies want their passengers to know how to get off their planes under all circumstances - before the plane leaves to runway.

~

"... from the beginning," Schultz continues, "... I've had an exit strategy for my marriage. It is simple. Either she dies or I die. Faithfully sticking to that plan guides my daily actions... Knowing my exit strategy gives me practical wisdom for how I should treat her today."

Making an exit strategy isn't something you should do at the last moment. You should do it before you ever embark on a job or commitment. "To finish well, it is good to have the end in sight at the beginning. That vision will direct your actions to your desired goal."

Schutlz lists some ideas you could incorporate into your exit strategy. Here are a few :

• I want to have a record for doing well and always being on time
• I want to have the reputation of owning a good attitude
• I want to finish all my business. That means returning all tools and owing no debts
• I want to be able to look everyone in the eye, knowing I did as much as possible to be at peace with them.

When we leave a completed task, we want to have completed it well. Will the things above be said of us when we're done with a task? Or will the list look something more like this:

• I did my work poorly and was often late
• I had a griping attitude which made me a pain to be around
• I left the job badly done or unfinished
• I was a troublemaker who caused much division in the workplace

Physical death, Schultz points out, is the most important exit in this life. Nothing compares with it. What sort of a legacy do you want to leave behind you when you're dead and buried? Will people remember you as someone who was always Christ-honoring? Will you leave behind good, healthy, strong relationships with friends and family? Will your life have been spent to the fullest extent for the honor and glory of God? "We are all moving toward the end of our lives. What plans do you have that will give you the privelage of hearing God say, 'Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of the Lord'?"

~

In conclusion, Schultz urges us to "grasp, at an early age, how to end this temporal life. May that knowledge give you practical wisdom to live, to work, and to prepare for the life to come. May you enter eternity full of joy and by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ without any debts left to pay. This is a worthy exit strategy."

~

"O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end." ~ Deuteronomy 32:29

~

Persevero,

Scribe