Monday, September 2, 2013

Labor

Jess wrote:
" the trade of physical fitness for money was a pretty good deal."
We barter our time (a finite resource) for money.
Some people's time is more valuable spent in physical exercise, some in mental, some in both.
Some have other sources of wealth and need not barter their time. Perhaps they charitably give it away, or squander it (if you believe we have a moral/spiritual obligation to steward our time).
A blessed man is one who is paid to do what he enjoys.
Or earns enough to allow him to keep more of his time for himself.

Do you believe your time is yours or do you owe another a debt of that time?
That "other" might be God, Spouse, Parent, Child, Sibling, Friend, Community.
That, by the way, is the order of preference as I see it.

How do you divvy it up?

James 2:14-26

New King James Version (NKJV)
14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your[a]works, and I will show you my faith by my[b] works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?[c] 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”[d] And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

20 comments:

  1. a bit of both eh...Some for self and a heap for others I say!..Have a great day my friend:)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yep, divvied up and trying hard to fulfill all the obligations.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I believe that God gave us free choice. In that sense, my time is my time. I get to do with it as I please … but the question is, do I have a moral obligation to share my time doing good works? Yes, I believe I do have that obligation.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I agree Mustang. I depend on the Spirit to let me know when enough is enough.

    ReplyDelete
  5. This is definitely something I struggle with.

    I tend to put my child first (attempting to mold a decent being IS a good work I think), although God is always present in me and influencing all the biggest decisions.

    Tallman comes second, job third.

    But now I'm learning that I myself HAVE to come in there somewhere, or I ultimately start to lose control with regard to Numbers 1, 2 and 3.


    Fred

    ReplyDelete
  6. I've read a lot about this Fred, many , most, say spouse first.
    Is your blog open? I've lost track.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I learned a long time ago that doing the right thing is empty, if you're doing it for all the wrong reasons.

    I'm still at it. Still getting bitten and spit out occasionally. But I end up feeling better for helping even if it ends up badly for me.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Lotta:
    Sacrificial giving is often the most rewarding, eh?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bur ONLY if your heart and mind are with it.

      Delete
    2. Bur ONLY if your heart and mind are with it.

      Delete
    3. Bur ONLY if your heart and mind are with it.

      Delete
  9. Yes. My blog's open (just checked). It's at the original site. But I'm not really writing anymore. Mostly just posting u-tube videos that correlate with my mood or whatever's on my mind. (BorING.)

    Thanks for askin' though!


    Freddie

    ReplyDelete
  10. I'm blocked from someone who doesn't say,

    ReplyDelete
  11. Pretty much echo your priorities. But I honestly believe if we honor God first and our debts to Him (our BEST, not what we have leftover after everything else) then everything else pretty much falls into place, leaving more than enough for our needs.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Dave hit it on the head, I think. And I have to admit one of the hardest things with having lost Mr Z is not having him to GIVE TO. I realized that only about a year ago (it's almost 4 years now). That was quite a lesson for me.

    ReplyDelete