The Power of Family Work

I am a firm believer in the idea that hard work builds character. Work is something I feel is necessary for not only our physical growth, but our emotional and spiritual growth as well. Today I want to talk about the importance of family work and how it is not a burden, but a means of strengthening the family. The world in which we live today teaches us that our ultimate goal should be to do as little work as possible. In an article called Family Work written by Kathleen Slaugh Bahr and Cheri A. Loveless, they mention that “Reformers of the day sought to alleviate these miseries. In the spirit of the times, many of them envisioned a utopian world without social problems, where scientific inventions would free humans from physical labor, and modern medicine would eliminate disease and suffering. Their reforms eventually transformed work patterns throughout our culture, which in turn changed the roles of men, women, and children within the family unit.” The family unit has changed drastically since the world began and I believe work is a huge part of it.

Since the days of Adam and Eve, and before the Industrial Revolution, family work was work. In the Old Testament, particularly Genesis 3:19 we read, “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground…” They labored for everything, their whole life was working to support themselves. This is the kind of work that builds families.

I don’t have many memories in my own family of hard physical labor other than having to clean the house every Saturday while being yelled at and told what to do constantly. They aren’t the best memories of work in the home. But I am grateful to have been part of my best friends’ families and for their parents’ hard work. I remember having several opportunities to work in the yard with my best friend and his father. It was hot, I was sweaty, but I enjoyed it. I’ve helped in building a shelf for their garage, and I’ve spent hours helping them with cleaning their garage. There’s another friend of mine with whom I spent all day helping him cut down a huge tree in his yard. He and I have done quite a bit of laboring together. I have had a lot of fun with my friends over the years, playing all kinds of games and doing all kinds of activities, but it is the times we’ve worked together I cherish the most. Someone in my class mentioned that all the fun and games invites competition while work builds unity. There is something to be said about spending a significant amount of time with someone you love building something or making progress on something rather than spending a couple of hours having fun only to realize you didn’t actually achieve anything. I’m not saying having fun and playing is bad, I definitely won’t stop having fun, but what I’m saying is work is what really brings us together.

In closing I’d like to offer some words of wisdom. I don’t think it’s a good idea to give your kids allowance, they shouldn’t be paid to help around the house. You’re not their employer and helping around the house shouldn’t be something that’s an option. They should learn the value of helping without expecting anything in return. I personally would want my kids to grow up knowing that helping is a reward in itself. I love to serve others and to be helpful. Can you imagine a world in which everyone is willing to help one another without any expectations? That’s one of the goals of the church in which I grew up. Bahr and Loveless have said, “Here lies the real power of family work–its potential to transform lives, to forge strong families, to build strong communities. It is the power to quietly, effectively urge hearts and minds toward a oneness known only in Zion.” To put it simply, Zion is a community of oneness, a community in which we all support and strengthen one another. Hard work, when done in oneness can change the world.