On Griping About Work

Josh Hicks

It is a natural tendency of man to complain about effort exertion. It seems that in this day and age, however, it is glorified, exalted, and expected for a man to complain about the drudgery of work and the lack of “free time.” I know that I have been quite guilty of this sentiment in an unrighteous way many times. Consider, then, this pithy saying from the venerable Matthew Henry:

Observe here, [1.] That labour is our duty, which we must faithfully perform; we are bound to work, not as creatures only, but as criminals; it is part of our sentence, which idleness daringly defies. [2.] That uneasiness and weariness with labour are our just punishment, which we must patiently submit to, and not complain of, since they are less than our iniquity deserves. Let not us, by inordinate care and labour, make our punishment heavier than God has made it; but rather study to lighten our burden, and wipe off our sweat, by eyeing Providence in all and expecting rest shortly.

Let us, then, not grow weary in our vocations, duties, etc. but execute them thoroughly to the glory of God, giving thanks to Him Who has provided for us, despite our biting of His Hand that feeds us.

I have been a great beneficiary of Matthew Henry’s pious generosity, as can be gleaned from his commentary on the Scriptures. He, and other Puritan Divines, are an invaluable source of biblical piety (as opposed to the moralism of pietism) that all Christians, “great and small,” would do well to read, ingest, digest, meditate, and think upon.