What do you do if...
Illustration
What do you do if it seems like there is no use trying anything?
Some Thessalonians thought that the end of the world was just around the corner. So they decided to do nothing. After all, there would be too little time to accomplish anything, so why bother? Some have similar feelings today because of the vast stockpile of nuclear weapons. The end of planet earth may not be far off, so why bother?
St. Paul's answer was rather simple: "Work, or else!" He seemed to almost have a thing about the work ethic.
Perhaps there is another approach which bears consideration. "I have met with but one or two persons in the course of my life who understood the art of walking, that is, of taking walks -- who had a genius, so to speak, for sauntering. Henry David Thoreau wrote these words because he was concerned, more than a century ago, that Americans were so busy making a living that they didn't know how to enjoy life.
As we live out our days and await eternity -- whenever it may come -- why not spend every day trying to experience in some way the joy of living, no matter how many days we may have to live? Let's ask ourselves: How is it with sauntering -- with the joy of living -- in our time? In our place? Perhaps we need to slow down and keep moving. Perhaps we can take time to really get in touch with God's world, with our neighbors, with ourselves. Maybe that is worth working at.
Let's not rest on our laurels and kill time waiting for the kingdom to come. Let's saunter into the future, walking. working, loving each day.
Some Thessalonians thought that the end of the world was just around the corner. So they decided to do nothing. After all, there would be too little time to accomplish anything, so why bother? Some have similar feelings today because of the vast stockpile of nuclear weapons. The end of planet earth may not be far off, so why bother?
St. Paul's answer was rather simple: "Work, or else!" He seemed to almost have a thing about the work ethic.
Perhaps there is another approach which bears consideration. "I have met with but one or two persons in the course of my life who understood the art of walking, that is, of taking walks -- who had a genius, so to speak, for sauntering. Henry David Thoreau wrote these words because he was concerned, more than a century ago, that Americans were so busy making a living that they didn't know how to enjoy life.
As we live out our days and await eternity -- whenever it may come -- why not spend every day trying to experience in some way the joy of living, no matter how many days we may have to live? Let's ask ourselves: How is it with sauntering -- with the joy of living -- in our time? In our place? Perhaps we need to slow down and keep moving. Perhaps we can take time to really get in touch with God's world, with our neighbors, with ourselves. Maybe that is worth working at.
Let's not rest on our laurels and kill time waiting for the kingdom to come. Let's saunter into the future, walking. working, loving each day.
