You’ve heard the old sayings, ” You can’t make an omelet without breaking an egg”, “You can’t walk a mile until you take the first step”, “He who labors long will break a sweat”, etc. And it is surely evident that he who is afraid of hard work never achieves anything worthwhile. Success requires effort. But, sadly, evidently not everyone understands that. There are many who, as the old preacher said, ” Sit on the stool of do-nothing and whittle on the stick of do-less”. However, those of noble character and notable contributions do difficult things– things others are unwilling to do. They are willing to tackle the hard projects rather than take the easy route. They don’t expect something for nothing. They aren’t looking for a handout, but are always ready to lend a helping hand. They are doers rather than dreamers. For them living and labor go hand in hand. They don’t expect a crown without a cross. They have no sense of entitlement. They are willing to pay their own way and earn their bread by the sweat of their brow. They are givers rather than takers, doers rather than viewers. They do their part and then some. They do their duty and then go the extra mile. These are the people who make a difference, who make things better.
These are the kind of folks that made America great– simple, hard-working, God-fearing men and women. They put wood on the hearth, food on the table, clothes on their children, and callouses on their hands. They build things, fix things, save things, and make life better for all. They provide for themselves, pay their taxes, donate to causes, help the needy, and make it possible for others to survive, even to survive by taking advantage of their industry—and they know it. Yet out of love they labor on. These hard working men and women deserve a tip of the hat, a pat on the back, and a helping hand. Let us pray that their tribe will increase. We need more people like that! May we not only pray, may we each be what we desire others to be. Whether you consider this in the context of our country, the family, the church, or the work place, if we each did our part there would be a marked improvement. We’ve all benefited greatly from the hard work and kindness of others, let us then be willing to contribute our fair share. Think about it!
