Labor Day means something different to everyone. To some, it marks the end of summer. To others, it’s just a day off from work. In the late 1800’s President Grover Cleveland officially signed into law making the first Monday in September the day to ‘recognize and honor the achievements of workers.’ Labor Day has always been about the number of hours you spend working and the pace of your life. Labor Day is the opportunity to remember and adjust your struggle to balance work and a personal life.
In the 1800’s many Americans worked 70 plus hours a week and the length of the workweek became a political issue. From the 1850’s to about 1890, the average work week was 60-70 hours. The time was spent in manual labor not sitting at a desk on a telephone or on a computer. Whether you are a blue or white collar worker today, the amount of time you devote to work and the pace of your work are still the primary focus.
In July of this year, professional golf was upended by a 39 year old Kiwi winning the oldest golf tournament in the world, The Open. Ryan Fox was labeled the ‘fastest golfer in the world’ as his pace of play made the headlines amidst a bevy of younger players who are taking longer to complete a round of golf than ever. It wasn’t that Fox was rushing, he just didn’t waste time. How we manage our time is a witness to the world, even the staid world of the PGA.
Today people are spending more leisure time than ever and less time working. This is not leading to a healthier more robust populace, but just the opposite. The pace of our activities is more harried. We are cramming in more, trying to accomplish more tasks in the same time and have become more stressed. Hurry is a sickness. I know because I suffer with the disease.
The physical demands and exertion that led to Labor Day are a reminder to monitor your pace of play. White collar labor can deceive you into forgetting the pace is what is most important. Less physical labor or exercise results in higher stress, less sleep and higher incidences of stroke and heart disease. The further we get away from physical labor the more we view it as an activity or merely an expense on a ledger, a dollar cost.
Parents are training their children to live a faster pace of play by allowing them to participate in travel ball and cheer teams. The school system is giving more busy work they call homework. Churches get in on the hustle by offering more activities and service times. The faster we run, the more we get away from the natural pace of God and His creation.
God walks, He doesn’t run. During my busiest seasons I start the day praying and God reminds me that I have enough time to accomplish all HE has for me that day. The prophet Micah wrote, ‘He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.’ My job, my selfish desires and my ‘to-do’ list may want me to run and get more done, but my God wants me to walk thru the day.
When I rush from one place or task to another, I don’t listen and hear as well…you don’t either. The Bible is FULL of reminders that our Creator speaks in a still quiet voice. Our pace will dictate our ability to listen. He doesn’t yell or bark reminders about our pace in life or the need to slow down to hear Him better. He often speaks to our pace in life through our health. Sickness, chronic health issues and suffering can speak when our pace drowns out His quiet whisper.
In Genesis we are told that Enoch walked with God…Noah walked with God. The Proverbs tell us we gain wisdom and understanding by walking, not accomplishing more. John says if we walk in the light…we have fellowship with one another. The Bible speaks to a slower pace of play that brings us closer to God…and each other.
To make this practical, the speed most people walk at is 3 miles per hour. CDC guidelines define moderate-intensity physical activity as 3 mph. Numerous studies have shown the pace of your gait, the speed you walk is possibly the best vital sign for higher cardiovascular health. Better than age, sex, body mass index, blood pressure, chronic conditions or smoking history. The Bible makes this clear and science confirms it. Slow down your pace of play to live longer and have better health.
A slower pace of play allows us to hear God better, delivers better physical health and deepens all personal relationships. Possibly most important, our pace of play in life is a huge witness to everyone. Our pace of play speaks to what we think is important, to who we love and to what we value.
This Labor Day, let the holiday seep into your heart and change your pace of play. It will increase the quality of your life, bring you closer to God and be a witness to your friends and family. The future depends on it.