Work Ethic

Have you ever worked on a farm, especially during the harvesting season? How about gone to one of those "U-pick" operations where you get to pick your own strawberries, apples, or whatever produce they happen to be growing? If you have, then you know that it is hard work.

Take the farm worker for example. Now we are talking "by hand" harvesting not mechanical, although no doubt that is a bit tiring as well.

When harvesting a crop by hand, the worker starts early in the day - sunrise (or even a bit before) and works the whole day through. The crops do not leap off the vine or dig themselves out of the ground. The worker spends no small time on their knees in the dirt. Banging their knees off of rocks here and there. Digging into the earth for root crops (potatoes, for instance) and carefully pulling off of vines others (tomatoes for example). It is hard, tiring, dirty work. By the end of the day, you "know" you have worked a full day. If the sun is shining you are hot, sweaty and dirty. If it is damp, then you are wet and muddy as well. Makes one see why mechanical means were invented, does it not.

But at the end of that long day, you get to look at the fruits of your labor. You see all the crop you have harvested and it makes it all worth it.

It has not been too many years since that was the normal routine. Mechanical harvesting is hardly ancient, although harvesting crops goes far, far back into our history.

Luke 10:2~ "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few."

I find it odd that some people, and churches, seem to think that if they wait around long enough, people will just throw themselves at their feet, begging to be led towards the path of salvation. How some whole churches seem to think that hoards of unsaved people are going to storm their doors like some kind of desperate stampede. Granted, like any other believer, I would like to see that happen. A full on sovereign move of the Almighty God in a true revival that makes the initial day of Pentecost pale in comparison. But whether or not that ever comes to pass in our viewing or not, only God knows that answer.

The "harvest"...but the "workers"...

Keeping in mind that harvest is work, having workers makes sense. I am sure that the worker in the field would love to have the crops just leap into their baskets, but that is not likely to happen anytime soon. So they WORK.

So must we. We are not told to sit around and wait. The occasional person who wanders into a church seeking or comes with someone else is rare compared to the hundreds and thousands who wander right on past.

But are they really seeking?

Consider the number of religions that others turn to. Pretty much anything you can dream of really and there always seems to be something new popping up to help ease a persons conscience and fill that ache within. Then are those who, unable to find anything REAL to believe in, just give up altogether and settle in the stance of "life ends and we're eaten by works - it is all for nothing". NOTHING! How horrible a thought, how bleak a future.

I dare say, YES, those who wander past are seeking - they just may not realize what - or I should say, WHO - they are seeking for.

"The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few"

Do not oversleep. Do not miss the work day. Wake up! Soon the sun will set and you will have missed it all. And there is far more than just your need for sleep at stake here - far more.