Labor Day is an American national holiday held on the first Monday of September each year. It’s an odd celebration without specific rituals, except boats and shopping. For most people it marks the official end of summer and the start of the school year.
In the late 1800s, the founders of Labor Day wanted two things: unification of union workers and a reduction in work time. The first Labor Day occurred in 1882 in New York City under the direction of the Central Labor Union. Labor Day came about because workers felt they were spending too many hours on the job. In the 1830s manufacturing workers were averaging 70hour work-weeks. Over the next sixty years, time at work gradually decreased to around 60 hours per week.
Early union organizers began to focus on a shorter eight-hour work day and a six-day work week with some holidays off. They were clearly successful since the most recent data show the average person working in manufacturing is employed slightly over 40-hours during a five-day per week. Because workers who had no free time were not able to spend their wages on traveling, entertainment or dining out, many politicians and business owners were generally in favor of giving workers more time off. As the U.S. economy expanded beyond farming and basic manufacturing in the late 1800s and early 1900s, it became important for businesses to find consumers to purchase products and services being produced in ever greater amounts. Shortening the work week was one way of turning the working class into the consumer class.
Even though Labor Day was proclaimed a national holiday in June 1894, not everyone gets the day off. Proclaiming any day an official holiday means very little. An official holiday does not require private employers and even some government agencies to give their workers the day off. Many stores are open, essential government protection and transportation services continue to function along with agriculture, construction and national parks.
Often, resentful of jobs they don’t enjoy, people repeat the false belief that “work was never God’s intention for us.” This is a common misunderstanding of the Genesis creation account. The truth is, work was never part of the sin-induced curse. Work was always a part of God’s blessing of productivity and satisfaction. Even before sin entered into Eden, humankind was privileged to work in and guard God’s beautiful Garden (Genesis 2:15). The curse connected to Adam’s sin brought dissatisfaction, frustration and sweat into work (Genesis 3:17-19). Before sin, each day was filled with success and pleasure as work produced the joy of accomplishment and satisfaction from a job well-done. There was no sweat!
Labor Day is no longer about trade unionists marching in the street carrying banners and tools of their trade. Although the battle over long working hours and conditions seem to have been settled for laborers, this issue is returning for highly skilled white-collar workers, many of whom are constantly connected to work through technology.
If you work long hours and seldom really take a vacation, start a new ritual that honors the original spirit of Labor Day. Don’t go in to work if not required. Shut off your phone, computer and other electronic devices connecting you to work. Give yourself the day off and spend time in gratitude for God’s provision for your family through your work.
Infinite Grace Ministries trains individuals and families torn by abuse, divorce and disappointment to live in forgiveness and hope. Scripture shows these life problems aren’t new!
Neither is it a new thing to be so focused on work that friends and family relationships are neglected. While the preoccupation with work is not overtly evil, it can end in the same destruction. Call 580-774-2884 for your personal appointment today.
