One of the most common debates surrounding Jesus and his ministry revolved around the sabbath. The sabbath refers to the Jewish practice of not working on the last day of the week. It is important enough that it is actually mentioned in the 10 Commandments. “Remember the sabbath day and keep it holy.” The idea is simple: Don’t work on the sabbath. In the first century, the Jewish people took the laws of God very seriously and sabbath obedience had reached a point where it was a paralyzing practice. The Jewish people took the practice so seriously that they debated endlessly about what exactly constituted work. They asked questions like, “How far can I travel from home before it is work?” or “Can I rescue an animal from my flock if it falls in a hole on the sabbath?” The result of these discussions was an endless list of don’ts for sabbath observance. One Jewish sect went so far as to not use the bathroom on the sabbath, lest the strain accidentally count as work. Jesus is often attacked by religious people over his untraditional approach to the day of rest compared to the accepted norms. Perhaps the most informative response to critics took place when Jesus said that, “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath.” What this means is that we were not made to obey the sabbath. Rather, the day of rest is a gift for us from God.
Work is part of our design as people. Doing work is an important part of what we are made to be. When we find work we were made to do, this makes perfect sense. When we labor and accomplish important things, we feel more complete as people. This is an important concept. However, it is not the most important concept. That is why the sabbath exists. We are supposed to rest to spend time with God and our families. We rest because otherwise work begins to drain the joy from our lives. If we work to provide for our families, we need to also spend time with them. Spending time with God, in particular, helps us to put everything in it’s proper order. It helps us recognize that family and enjoying life are also part of our design. We rest because rest is important.
First century religious figures who argued with Jesus had a dysfunctional relationship with rest days, turning them into a miserable chore. However, our culture has gone the other way. We have turned overwork and busyness into a virtue. If you’re not so busy you’re miserable and can’t enjoy any part of life, then you’re probably doing something wrong. The thing is, spending time with your wife and kids when you’re so burned out that you can’t even pay attention isn’t virtuous. Giving 100% of your life and energy to something other than the people who love and need you isn’t a virtue. The trick to beginning to tame the work monster that dominates your life is to take a sabbath. Make it a point to rest, not work, spend time with loved ones, read, go for a walk, and spend time with God learning how to enjoy the life and gifts God has given you.
