LABOR A DELIGHT by The Christian

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Nov 21, 1892

LABOR A DELIGHT.

By The Christian

"WHERE love is there is no labor, for love makes labor a delight." Labor for a loved object is not counted irksome. Jacob toiled patiently when Rachel was the prize to be won; and the mother counts it no hardship to toil for the babes she has borne. It is a privilege from which she would not be debarred.

The things which people love to do are usually the things they know how to do, and which bring to them satisfaction and reward when done. Persons are disgusted and disheartened with work which they are unable to perform skillfully and properly. They despise their own botchings and bunglings. A good cook exhibits taste and skill in the preparation of food; a poor cook spoils food and hates cooking. Those who have skill delight to exercise it. A man possessed of mighty muscles rejoices in his strength, grows weary of his idleness, and longs for vigorous exercise. Hence thorough training in any useful employment is a good preventive of discontent and an excellent preparation for delightful service.

There are things which money would not hire us to do for a stranger, but which we do most joyfully for the love we bear those who are dear to us, or to the Lord, who hath loved us and given himself for us. The great spring of Christian labor is Christian love. The "work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope," are the characteristics of those in whom God has wrought by his grace, working in them to will and to do his good pleasure. If we first love much, it will then be easy to labor much; we shall count ourselves debtors to Jews and Greeks, to wise and unwise, to barbarians, Scythians, bond and free; and so much as lieth in us we shall be ready to preach the gospel wherever the Lord may call us to labor, counting not our lives dear unto ourselves that we might finish our course with joy.—The Christian.