The bow of work
LIII. The Serious side of life
1.The smiling, careless, innocent days of childhood are but brief; swiftly do they pass away, almost before the young man has begun to learn how great is their value, and to prize them as he ought. Too soon is he compelled to part from the innocent games which gladden a child's heart, and from the merry companions with whom he has spent the greater part of the bright morning of life. Now he is obliged to venture forth, and make acquaintance with the serious side of life.
What is the serious side of life? It is the season of work. Work! Let not the name terrify you on account of the harshness of its sound: the word is not nearly so forbidding and repulsive as it appears at first sight. You must not, as is so often the case, couple with the word "work" an idea of weariness, misery, toil, and humiliation, as connected with a slavish occupation. For work, in the . proper sense of the term, includes everything which, unlike the fruit on the tree, does not come to maturity of itself. Work belongs especially to the duties of young men; among his spiritual weapons, I include the bow of work. Therefore do you, my friend, arm yourself with this bow when you sally forth to make acquaintance with the serious side of Life.
"In the worlds broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero in the strife!
"Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant!
Let the dead Past bury it's dead!
Act - act in the living Present!
Heart within, and God o'erhead.
"Let us, then, be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait."
2. What is the right view of labor? Since man is made in the image of God, he shares in a way in His creative activity. Understand my meaning! Of course, I do not intend to say that he can bring something out of nothing . but he is capable of giving to matter another form, and by the light of his intelligence to rise to the knowledge of higher things.
Now all this is brought about by means of exertion, effort, work. Such work is twofold, being both mental and physical. Both kinds of work are indispensably necessary for the well-being of human society; they may be termed its body and soul. In this, and in some of the succeeding chapters, we shall direct our attention almost exclusively to the latter kind, to physical labor.
3. You also, my young friend, will have to experience the grave meaning of the words which God addressed to our first parents in paradise, immediately subsequent to the fall: "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, until thou return to the earth out of which thou wast taken " (Gen. iii. 19). Work is a law of existence, ordained by God Himself. Every one who refuses to comply with this law incurs the risk of losing, not only his higher vocation here upon earth, but also the crown which is held out to him on a happier shore - the crown of eternal glory in heaven. Therefore you must not hesitate, for a single instant to submit willingly to the law of labor, and thus to take the serious side of life in a serious spirit. "Six days shalt thou labor and shalt do all thy works," said God to the people of Israel by the mouth of Moses. On one day of the week man ought to rest from his work, as far as the honor of God or the love of his neighbor does not imperatively demand it. This is required by the third commandment, which God gave of old on Mount Sinai.
4. St. Paul wrote to the Thessalonians . "If any man will not work, neither let him eat." If you remain idle and slothful, and refuse to work, you rebel against the infinitely wise ordinance of God, and frustrate the end of your creation, as far as in you lies.
Hence it is easy to understand why the saints in all ages have been so very industrious. Never allow a single day to pass without sowing, by means of some useful work, a grain of seed in the furrows of time, which may spring up and bear fruit in eternity.
Listen, also, to what the Holy Ghost says to the idle man in the Book of Proverbs: " Go to the ant, O sluggard, consider her ways and learn wisdom. Which although she hath no guide, nor master, nor captain, provideth her meat for herself in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep? Thou wilt sleep a little, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to sleep and want shall come upon thee" (Prov. vi. 6-1 1). But not only external and material want shall come upon the slothful man, but, what is infinitely worse, spiritual destitution also, the famine of the soul, for idleness is the parent of all vice. Flee from it therefore, and always bear in mind that;
Swiftly time speeds on its way,
Though we fain would bid it stay;
Employ it well, work while you may,
Night soon succeeds to life's brief day.
