IT’S GOOD WORK IF YOU CAN AVOID IT!

Neal Pollard

I made a couple of visits with two of the High Street elders today. In between, we passed by the house of a man whose wife is a member. The husband was standing out on the porch (strongly resembling the “got to make the doughnuts” guy of TV commercial fame). The sight of the man sparked a very interesting conversation about him. The elder in the front passenger seat said, “That man has worked one day in his life.” That caught my attention. Apparently, forty years ago, he began work for a brother in Christ doing cement work. It was 1967. We were at war with Vietnam and Lyndon Johnson was in the White House. Woodstock was still two years away and Kent State three years future. This man clocked in that morning and quit that night. It what to me was at least partially humorous, the other elder stuck a post-script to the conversation. He said, “Yep. He hadn’t worked a day until last month, when he got another job. But, it didn’t work out.”

That has to be one of the more appalling and unbelievable stories I have ever heard. Apparently, he has collected items and sold them. His wife has worked hard for the last forty years, and he has been happy to let her. Such a work ethic, even in these lazier times, does not make one very admirable to the larger society. Of course, it is against the ethic of Christ (cf. 2 Thes. 3:10; 1 Tim. 5:8). Few would argue that this man’s worklessness is moral or honorable.

As a second-generation preacher as close to forty years old as I have ever been, I have been able to observe the spiritual work ethic of some for nearly that length of time. I have known of some who have been members of the church for decades, too. The cordial man near High Street has a few kindred spirits. Have you ever known a brother or sister who, even after years of being a Christian, have never participated in a single work or program of the church? They will attend services, to whatever little or large degree. Perhaps, they will overtly participate in the acts of worship. They may even give of their means. Yet, in all that time, they will have never paid anyone a visit, opened their home to another Christian, studied the Bible with anyone, shown up for a work day, taught a class, helped in a benevolent cause, or been involved in any activity the church endeavored to do. They may be as pleasant and cordial as can be, but perpetually and infinitely uninvolved.

The admonition of scripture to Christians assumes a good work ethic in kingdom matters. Why would Paul tell Corinth (1 Cor. 15:58) to be steadfast “always abounding in the work of the Lord…” if Christianity was without labor? Jesus taught the indispensability of bearing fruit in John fifteen, warning that it was eternally serious not to do so. God has vital business to be conducted on this earth and He accomplishes through the church (cf. Eph. 3:9-11), which means individual members in it must be at work. One day of work in forty years? Let us make sure we never give this affable brother competition in any arena, but especially not in the Lord’s church!