Why Adam went to Work and other Musings

 

I remember my mom telling me when she was out of sorts she would clean her house; in fact she particularly enjoyed scrubbing her kitchen floor when life got a bit testy. Working and focusing on improving a small area of her life gave her back some control and she said when she was done, she had a clean house and always felt better about the problem that was bothering her in the first place.

 I was thinking of that the other day when I was feeling a bit overwhelmed.  Being outside in the rain or shine is what puts a smile on my heart, so I took my grumbling “self” outside and started weeding. Good thing too, because those awful shot-weeds had gone to seed in several places and it became show-down in the old garden beds, with seeds shooting wildly in all directions with every tug of that prolific plant.  Later, when the weeds were under control, I found I was more relaxed, focused, and able to listen to God's comfort.

In Genesis 2:15 it says, “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it”. It would appear God knew that work was needed, and I don’t mean for the benefit of the garden. God knew that Adam needed a job. He gave Adam the job of naming animals and tending the Garden of Eden.  God certainly could have developed a self-tending garden that needed no interference from man, after all there weren't even weeds at that point; but He didn’t do that. It would appear he knew that too much time on Adam’s hands was not a good thing.  He knew that Adam needed a purpose, a focus, an agenda to wake up to each day.  

 

Perhaps God also wanted Adam to be committed to this earth. When we have skin in the game; when we have our time, resources, or gifts invested in a project, the more likely we are to do the best job we can. We care about what happens.

We are also more likely to achieve satisfaction from something we are actively a part of. We will return to it because we like the good feeling we get when the job is done correctly.  I’ve heard employers complain that employees who work very part time, often don’t do as good of job, they just don’t understand the rhythm of the workplace and don’t seem to have the commitment to how important their job is to the company.  It would seem God knew that the more Adam worked the land, the more Adam would see what could be done, and needed to be done, for the bigger picture of civilization; and he would work more proficiently because of that fact.  Adam needed to know it wasn't all about him.

The fact that Adam was given a job that was directly given to him by God, must have been very empowering. I mean really, when the creator of the universe puts you to work, that’s the best resume and personal reference anyone could want.  God respected Adam’s abilities enough to allow him to care for his newest creations. Adam’s obedient response to his job, was both a blessing to God and to Adam.

And finally, how amazing it feels to be working, touching and communing with God’s creations. Talk about job satisfaction! Farming, fishing, and forestry are all vocations that have long held tremendous satisfaction for its workers.  It just feels good to work hard in, “The living visible garment of God” (Johann W. Goethe). To feel God’s creation in your hands just seems to bring such a deep connection to God. For me it is impossible to not talk to God and see God every time I’m working in my garden.

 

So why am I, a long-time unemployed educator, musing about work? Well, I’ve been hearing whispers in my heart. The last few years I have focused on my husband, grandchildren, and various volunteer positions. But this year I volunteer in an elementary school with the highest level of low-income students in the district. I have worked in the classrooms assisting teachers and students, as well as mentoring students with tough home lives.  I’ve seen hungry children line up for food to take home on Friday’s so they will have something to eat over the weekend. I’ve had my heart broken as a child I have grown to love, but have been so worried for, was taken from his parents and sent to his grandparents across the United States. God is whispering to my heart, “Do more, I have prepared you to love and teach these children, so jump in and do it every day.” My shaky little inner voice is saying, "But, what person would employ someone who has been out of the workforce for nine years?" "Oh yeah," I then remember, "My employer is the creator of the universe, I've got a good reference".