This can be a continuation of what Dave said or a continuation of my branch of the discussion. Or perhaps both.

I’m convinced that relationships with others make up who you are.  Whether it’s the relationships with God, with your family, with friends, with co-workers, with enemies, you name it . . . Your outlook on the world is effect by the relationships you have with other people and with God.

This has Biblical basis of course — Genesis 2:18 comes to mind. Micah 6:8 describes what our relationships with God and others should be like.  And I mentioned Matthew 22:37-40 before. And then there is “Go and Make Disciples” phrase in the Great Commission.
 
Well, what does work have to do with all this?  I think work is our opportunity in the world to go and make disciples, and to act justly and to show mercy.  And we simply need work to feel needed and wanted by other people — which is why it is not good for us to be alone.  Even if you work at home, you still have contact with people.

My father is a farmer and, even though you just think of them working out in the fields by themselves, there is a lot of people skills.  You have to deal with the sales staff of the many things you have to buy.  You have to deal with the buyers of the crops and livestock you need to sell. You have to be able to talk to your fellow farmers to get a feel of what is happening in the markets and in your neighborhood.  People skills are everywhere. Relationships are important.

Dave’s issue of “how much should we work” is a good one.  I keep going back to a sermon from a few months back where our pastor said the line “Give us this day our Daily Bread” in the Lord’s Prayer .  It doesn’t mean give us enough for the day, it means “give us just enough for this day.”  In other words, give me just enough for today, and let us deal with tomorrow another time.  I think that is what Dave is really getting at.

Does this mean that we should all be planning on moving to the African Savannah to deal with the multitude of needs there?  No, I don’t think we are all called to do that  When I went to Urbana, er, over ten years ago, one speaker said that the mission world has more than enough people willing to go, but they are desperate for people to send them.  In other words, they need people to not only give them monetary experience but to enable them to teach others.  Or, to state it simply, they need disciples to make more disciples.

So how much should we ask for?  And what should we do with the bountiful plenty that we have? I think those are questions for next time.  Or for Dave, if he wished to tackle them.

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