“So he hired himself out to one of the local citizens who sent him to his farm to tend the swine.”
From the first chapters of the book of Genesis, we can see that man was created to spend his life in work for the glory of God. This is not a slavish condition, but one that confirms man’s dignity. Unlike the rest of material creation, which are subjected to laws of nature, man (by his spiritual intellect and will) is able to bring order and fruit where there previously was none and to do it by his free choice. This fulfills man’s nature, showing that man is designed for work and ennobled by it. In the beginning, man was subject only to God’s design, and therefore his work took on an extra dignity as it shared the Divine Wisdom so directly.
Mission Unchanged
With the advent of sin, we see that work is rendered difficult, but man’s mission is not changed. He must spend his life seeking to bring forth fruit by his labor. Flash forward to the time of the Exodus and we see this theme return. The people of Israel are doing hard labor, but under the subjection of Pharaoh rather than God. Their lives are spent in labor that is slavish and degrading, because it is not labor that contributes to their flourishing.
For the Good of the Household
In the parable of the prodigal son, we see this dynamic again at work. At the father’s house, there is labor (as we learn from the other son at the end of the story). But this labor contributes to the good of the household and they enjoy the fruits of it. The prodigal son on the other hand, first spends his life, labor, and time on his own pleasure and enjoyment. An end, which while not always inherently wrong, is lowly and selfish. A poor way to spend one’s life and strength and this is proved by the inevitable result of such a life: destitution, spiritually at least if not materially. The prodigal son now finds himself working for another’s will in labor that is intensely degrading. (This is shown to the Jewish audience by the fact that he has to work with swine – an unclean animal – and for a Gentile meaning that he will be unable to keep the Sabbath.)
How Will You Spend It?
This Lent we ought to reflect on the fact that we were put on Earth and given this life to spend it. We are all forced to make a choice of how we will spend the time and strength given to us. Will we pursue those base and selfish things that, while making life comfortable, are a poor thing to present before God as the result of our labor? Or will we pursue serving God with our actions and spending our life (His gift) in building His Kingdom?
