BE WISE TO DISCERN WHEN TO WORK AND WHEN TO REST

George was a driver and he spent so much time at his work, that he could hardly have a meal together with his wife and three children. In the evenings he attended classes, seeking to get knowledge, that one day would help him to find a better paying job.

George‘s family often complained that he is not spending enough time with them, but his only answer was, I am doing all this for you, I work hard to provide my family with the best that I can”.

Soon after George had passed his exams, he received a good job offer with a salary, which was significantly higher than he had before. So now George could provide his family with more expensive clothes, some luxury items or vacations in foreign countries. It was like a dream come true, but the family still did not get enough attention from George, as he continued to work very hard and often he did not get to see his family for most of the week.

Time passed and George’s hard work paid off, he was promoted. He decided to relieve his wife from domestic works, so he hired a maid. He also decided that their flat is not big enough for their family and they need a more spacious one. Thus he needed to work even harder and, moreover, he continued his studies, so that he would be promoted again. George worked so hard, that sometimes he even had to spend his weekends with his clients instead of his wife and children. And again, whenever family asked for his time and complained that they do not spend enough time together, he answered, that he was doing all this only for them.

A bit later George was promoted, so he could buy a spacious house with a beautiful view. On the first Sunday evening at their new home, George told his wife and kids, that now he decided not to take any studies and work not so hard that he could spend more time with his beloved family. The very next morning George did not wake up.

There is another side to this story:

 A lazy grasshopper laughed at a little ant as she was always busy gathering food. "Why are you working so hard?" he asked, "come into the sunshine and listen to my merry notes."

"But the ant went on her work. She said "I am working to store for the winter. Sunny days won't last forever." "Winter is so far away yet,” laughed the grasshopper back. 

And when the winter came, the ant settled down in her snug house. She had plenty of food to last the whole winter. The grasshopper had nothing to eat so; he went to the ant and begged her for a little corn.

The ant said, "You laughed at me when I worked. You yourself sang through the summer. So you better dance the winter away."

God has given us the discerning power as to when and how to work and when and how to rest. Use the best use of time for work, for recreation and for rest; for you may not get a chance for them in the future. Wise are the ones who know when to stop and when to work.when to stop and when to work.