“At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16: 11)
Growing Dominion, Part 100
“He that laboureth laboureth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him” (Prov. 16:26).
This might seem a bit obscure in the Authorized Version. The NIV is blunter. “The laborer’s appetite works for him; his hunger drives him on.” What this means is that God has built into the world a motivation for work, even for those who may not have the highest view of work possible. In other words, while work is a creation ordinance, established before the fall, all the work we do now is in a fallen order, and thorns and thistles conspire against the farmer. The resistance of Murphy and his minions to our efforts is enough to make any laborer, merchant, or businessman despair. Why bother? But after the frustrating job has been quit, and a couple of very pleasant days are spent sitting at home on the couch, the question of continuing the habit of meals arises. When we think about business and labor, we need to remember that God does not want this design feature of His to be removed in the interests of “kindness.” If any is not willing to work, St. Paul says, let him not eat.