FAITH@WORK > WEEK 3

Balancing Work

While work itself is not bad, it can become unhealthy and take over our lives if we let it. This is an age-old problem and one of the reasons that Sabbath--taking a day of rest--is part of our tradition. God (and Jesus) modeled for us how to take a rest from work, and commanded us to do so, too.
The Gospel this week tells of a wedding banquet where invitations are ignored by some, who instead decide to work! How does our work get in the way of the joy of the Gospel--and the other things we are called to do with our time?

In 60 Seconds: How Do you Balance Work & Family

Here are seven one-minute videos from The High Calling, each with a different Christian voice sharing how they balance work and family.

God, Incorporated

Christian musician Rick Elias wrote this sharp-edged song about someone who loses track of his priorities and treats his job like a god. Not all listeners picked up on the meaning.  Elias has suggested in interviews that the song is at least partly autobiographical. When originally promoting the song, his label sent paperweights to Christian radio stations saying, "In Christ, there are no corporate ladders."
© 1997 Rick Elias, Careers-BMG Music Publishing, Inc. (BMI)
From the Rick Elias album Blink.

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Well, ain't life grand when you hold all the aces
And there ain't no time for those friends and places 
That you once knew, but you outgrew.
You add a pinch of ambition and a little dash of power
Mix it up with opportunity, and there you are, 
You've got the man of the hour,
Look what happened to you.

He's a company man, he works for God Incorporated,
Got his future planned and, boy, it sure looks bright,
He's a company man, he works for God Incorporated,
Hang on, boys, it's gonna be a wild ride.

He's taking care of business that can't be ignored,
See him crush the opposition behind closed doors,
He's got a job to do, but he's depending on you,
Don't take it personal, baby, this is just how it goes,
He's gonna pull those strings,
You're gonna dance and sing in his puppet show,
Now get down to it.

He's a company man, he works for God Incorporated,
Got this party planned, it's gonna be a long night,
He's a company man, he works for God Incorporated,
Hang on, boys, it's gonna be a wild ride.

He's a company man, he works for God Incorporated,
Got this party planned - no, there's no use in fighting,
He's a company man, he works for God Incorporated,
Hang on, boys, it's gonna be a long night.

Are you worshipping your Work?

Work-Life Balance: The Facts

  • 75% of Americans clock more than 40 hours/week.
  • Only 51% of U.S. employers offer paid time off plans.
  • 82% of U.S. workers check into the office daily while on vacation. 61% work while on vacation.
  • For the average U.S. worker, 2 out of 14 vacation days go unused each year.
The U.S. compared to other countries (source: TimeDay.org):
  • 166 of 168 countries guarantee paid leave for mothers in connection with childbirth. 45 countries offer such leave to fathers. The U.S. does neither.
  • 139 countries guarantee paid sick leave. The U.S. does not. 
  • 96 countries guarantee paid annual (vacation) leave. The U.S. does not.
  • At least 134 countries have laws limiting the length of the work week. The U.S. is not one of them.
  • 37 countries guarantee parents paid time off when children are sick. The U.S. does not.
Photo by LaurMG, Creative Commons >
Click on these infographics to view them at full size and learn more:
Why don’t americans take more vacation Time? Read more at Ally Bank's Straight Talk blog.
Learn more from this study by TeamViewer about unused vacation time.
Virtual meeting company PGi offers this infographic:

Work/Life Balance Justice 

While some have a choice to take a breaks from their work, others are truly forced to work multiple jobs and long hours. Many have no flexibility to take time off when they have a child or need to care for a sick family member. The following two organizations advocate for fixing the system so that everyone gets a proper break.
Take Back Your Time sponsors an annual Take Back Your Time Week and sees its mission as "challenging time poverty and overwork in America."
Moms Rising advocates for maternity/paternity leave, paid sick days, realistic and fair wages, flexible work options, and more.

Question of the Week

How does God want me to find a better balance between my work and the rest of my life?

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