Monday, our nation will celebrate Labor Day, a day to honor those who worked to help build our nation. It’s a day that has been celebrated since Sept. 5, 1882, starting in New York City. Although all workers are recognized equally today, the original purpose was to honor the field workers, and mine workers, the factory seamstresses, etc.
According to the U.S. Census Board, about 13% of our nation was made up of foreign-born citizens, roughly 10 million immigrants, during the 1880’s. The National Bureau of Economic Research records that there were about 17 million laborers during the 1880’s. I found this data interesting because a large percentage of the labor done in our nation during the time of the first Labor Day holiday was done by people that weren’t even from America. That shouldn’t be too much of a surprise to anyone.
This is the point I hope to share here: People who weren’t natural-born citizens played a big part in shaping the New World, even though their home was someplace else. Consider how Christians are also citizens of another Kingdom, a truly New World. Philippians 3:20, “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” We, too, are called to work while we wait! Paul encouraged a congregation in Corinth (and ultimately all believers), that in spite of the struggles of life, the frustrations of working with people you don’t always see eye to eye with, or the injustices we sometimes face – to stay focused! “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”
He tells those in Thessalonica, “But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing good.” Jesus wants us to live and work amongst His creation for the good of His kingdom. In the same way that God put Adam in charge of cultivating the Garden of Eden (Genesis 1:28) by laboring in it, caring for it, nurturing it, we too are called to let our light shine (make an impact on people’s lives) so that they see God working through us.
Thankfully, God isn’t forcing us to labor in His kingdom, but rather He works along with us, helping us be the people that point to a New World. Titus 2:11-14, “For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.”
Let us never rest from the labor of sharing God’s love.
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