The Value of Work

Today I read Doctrine and Covenants section 75, a section mostly about the elders and their mission calls. However, there was a phrase that struck me at the very end of the section that almost seemed out of place with the rest of the section. The Lord says "And the idler shall have no place in the church, except he repent and mend his ways."

I have watched with an almost horrified fascination as this country has slowly but surely stopped rewarding hard work and instead started rewarding laziness and riotous living. It's sad really but the welfare system in this country once upon a time used to be more akin to the church's welfare system, you used to have to be actively looking for a job, and it only lasted so long. Not anymore, now some folks in this country are taxed so hard to pay for those that could work if they so chose but would rather not.

I don't know about the rest of you all but if I was unable to work I think I would go crazy. Have you ever taken a week or two off from work for vacation or just to have the time off? It feels great those first few days right? But by day 3 or 4 you start to get antsy. Then by day 5 you are going stir crazy and starting to bug your entire family. Work is healthy and good. Our Heavenly Father is a God of work. He tells us what His work is in Moses 1:39. If our Heavenly Father works, shouldn't we?

Now, in this day and age of technology, most of our jobs are not very physically intensive. But it is still good and proper to do the work you enjoy the most to keep your sense of self-worth up and to provide for your family. But there are also lots of physical things in our lives that we should be doing also to work and provide for our families even if our job is not physical labor. We should all have a garden to the extent that we can. We should all learn to do, and do as many home repairs as we can. We should play with our children and spend some time each day outside. These things are all healthy and necessary for a good balanced life.

I have never understood how someone can be satisfied doing nothing all day long. My wife had a really tough transition when she started being a stay at home wife from having a job all the time. I am sure most women who were working before hand and suddenly stay at home all day long due to children or health or whatever the reason have a hard time with it. Just as the rest of us who work for a living would. That is why so many people find ways to work at home.

It is good to hear God speak out against laziness though, all too often people confuse charity with being taken advantage of. The true way we should be helping and providing for those on welfare would be to meet their immediate needs, then help them secure employment and so that they can provide for themselves going forward. Everyone falls on hard times at some point and needs the help, either from a friend, family, church or the government. The key is it should be temporary. And while out of work or what ever is causing you to need the assistance we need to be doing all we can to rectify the situation.

As we provide for ourselves and our families the Lord will bless us with His Spirit and will help us in our endeavors. Not everything we try will turn out right or the way we want it to, but there is no getting around trials and we all need to grow. But He will not leave us alone or without help. He loves us and wants us to succeed. It is just up to us to try. Until tomorrow.