Tag Archives: Dignity

Part 4 – Reources, The First Fundamental Element

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As I stated in the last post, God created humans with needs and provided Four Fundamental Elements for those needs to be met. The Four Fundamental Elements are Resources, Opportunity, Instruction, and Relationships. With these provisions, humankind could live independently and have a full life.

Adam had a need for the resource of food and water and God provided for that need in the Garden. There were four rivers that ran through the garden, which would provide water and food was literally hanging from the trees. Adam had a need and God met that need. With these resources, he and Eve would be able to stay alive.

While this may sound elementary, this is God’s first Fundamental Element and God continues to provide resources to mankind when He wants something accomplished.

Let’s fast forward to Noah. For some reason God called Noah to build an ark instead of just giving him one.

Wouldn’t it have been easier if God had just told Noah, “Hey. I’ve put a big boat out in the wood full of everything you need...all you have to do is climb in and ride out the storm.” But He didn’t…God wanted Noah to do the work Click To Tweet

But God provided Noah with the resources necessary to complete the task. Now Scripture does not tell us exactly how Noah got the resources, but it seems pretty apparent that they were available in the surrounding area. And unlike the Hollywood movie, I don’t think that a box full of tools found its way to Noah’s front porch and the wood wasn’t delivered by the Go 4 WOOD company.

Again, this would have been easier, but God had Noah do the work. In fact, Noah probably had to fashion the tools just to do the work. Now I used to remodel houses and I had the benefit of pneumatic tools, electric saws and trucks…and it was still really hard work. Can you imagine how much harder it had to be for Noah? But for some reason, God had Noah do the work. And work he did…it took him 120 years to build that ark.

Every time God called people to accomplish something, He made the necessary resources available. When He called the Israelites to build the Sanctuary, the resources were already in their possession. When God called Nehemiah to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem, the resources were provided through the king in Nehemiah 2.

God made people do the work to accomplish His will, but He always provided the First Fundamental Element, Resources. He provided the Resources that were necessary for the work to be completed.

FAQ 3 – Why Is Work So Important?

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NOW HIRINGWow…It’s been a crazy few months since my last post, but here is FAQ 3 – Why Is Work So Important?

Have you ever thought about the fact that God gave Adam a job before the fall? God could have provided Adam with everything. He could have created things in such a way that Adam would never have had to lift a finger, but He didn’t. He created Adam, and the rest of us, with needs that could only be fulfilled with work. Work must be pretty important if it was part of God’s perfect creation before the fall. Work must have provided Adam with something even more important than money.

As I have presented this material, I have asked audiences if they remembered their first jobs. I get head nods and smiles, then I ask about the first paycheck. Their faces light up as they remember that moment. It’s amazing to me how many people remember that first check. It is a significant moment in our lives. I have had people in their seventies, eighties, and even nineties tell me exactly how old they were, how they earned it, and the amount. I’ve noticed the pride in their voices as they walk down memory lane.

That feeling of value isn’t a mistake. God created each of us with a desire to take on responsibilities and accomplish things. He embedded a code in the DNA of every human being to meet their own needs. We want to be useful. We want to provide for ourselves. God gave Adam a job because he needed to believe he had value and was worth something. Relying on others to provide for our basic needs is a learned behavior.

We see the desire to care for ourselves in every child as they grow and find their identities. We see it in their desire to be independent. We even see it when they play. Most boys want to drive trucks and tractors and build. Most girls want to be teachers and nurses and care for others. While the examples may be stereotypical, it points to our natural desire to
work, be productive, and have value. This desire isn’t taught to children. It’s given to all
of us by God.

As adults, a large part of our identity is wrapped up in what we do for a living. When we meet someone new, it is common to ask where they work or what they do. That question may bother some people, because they don’t think their work defines who they are, but I disagree. We find a large portion of our value and identity in our jobs. As we get to know others, it is perfectly understandable to ask what they do for nearly half of their waking hours. It isn’t a bad question because it explains a major segment of our lives.

Our work, and our ability to independently provide for our needs, provides us with dignity. We find value in ourselves. God’s plan for us to work and care for our own needs allows us to see ourselves through His eyes as people who were created with abilities, purpose, and significance. We were created in His image. God calls us to work because He worked, and He has deemed work as necessary for our well-being.