“看哪，你妹妹所多玛的罪孽是这样：……心骄气傲，粮食饱足，大享安逸”（结16:49）。{FH.153.1}
上帝把劳动当作一种福气赐给人类，要占用我们的心思，加强我们的体力，并发展我们的才能。亚当夏娃在伊甸园中从事劳作。他们发现在心智和身体的活动中，竟有着他们圣善生活中最高尚的乐趣。后来由于他们违命的结果，从那美丽的家园被赶出来，被迫为了得食糊口而去跟那难以耕作的土地挣扎奋斗，才领略到劳作竟是他们忧伤心灵的一种慰藉，是他们抗拒试探的一项防卫。{FH.153.2}
明智的劳作对于我们人类的福乐和繁荣，乃是绝对必要的。它可以使软弱的强壮，怯懦的勇敢，贫穷的富足，苦闷的快乐。我们所受不同的委托，原是与我们的不同的能力成正比例的，因此上帝期望从祂所赐给祂仆人的才干得到相应的报答。那决定赏赐的，并不在乎拥有才干的大小，而在于运用才干的方式，也就是履行人生职责的忠心程度，不论这些职责是大是小。{FH.153.3}
落在我们身上的最大灾祸之一，就是懒惰；因为随之而来的，乃是恶习与罪行。撒但在暗中埋伏着，准备要突袭并消灭那些不谨慎防守的人。他们的闲暇就给了他机会，使他得以在某种迷人的伪装下，巧妙地博得了他们的喜爱。他最成功地引诱人的机会，就是在他们闲懒的时候。……{FH.153.4}
富人往往以为自己高人一等且特蒙上帝眷爱。许多人轻视诚实的劳动，看不起贫穷的邻舍。富人的子弟受到教育要做绅士淑女，穿着时尚，避免一切有益的劳作，不与劳工阶层来往。……
这种想法与上帝创造人类的目的背道而驰。……{FH.153.5}
上帝的儿子尊重劳动。祂虽是天上的至尊，却选择住在地上贫穷卑微的人家，为了每日的口粮在约瑟的木匠铺中谦卑地工作。……基督徒工人的道路虽然可能是艰难狭窄的，却因救赎主的足迹而受到尊荣，凡走在那条神圣道路上的人都是安全的。——《时兆》，1882年5月4日。{FH.153.6}
Work Is a Blessing, May 21
Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: ... pride, fullness of food, and abundance of idleness.?Ezekiel 16:49.?{FH 153.1}[1]
God gave labor to humanity as a blessing, to occupy our minds, to strengthen our bodies, and to develop our faculties. Adam and Eve labored in the Garden of Eden, and they found in mental and physical activity the highest pleasures of their holy existence. When they were driven from that beautiful home as the result of disobedience and were forced to struggle with a stubborn soil to gain their daily bread, that very labor was a relief to their sorrowing souls, a safeguard against temptation.?{FH 153.2}[2]
Judicious labor is indispensable both to the happiness and the prosperity of our race. It makes the feeble strong, the timid brave, the poor rich, and the wretched happy. Our varied trusts are proportioned to our various abilities, and God expects corresponding returns for the talents He has given to His servants. It is not the greatness of the talents possessed that determines the reward, but the manner in which they are used—the degree of faithfulness with which the duties of life are performed, be they great or small.?{FH 153.3}[3]
Idleness is one of the greatest curses that can fall upon us, for vice and crime follow in its train. Satan lies in ambush, ready to surprise and destroy those who are unguarded, whose leisure gives him opportunity to insinuate himself into their favor under some attractive disguise. He is never more successful than when he comes to men and women in their idle hours....?{FH 153.4}[4]
The rich often consider themselves entitled to the preeminence among their fellow human beings and in the favor of God. Many feel above honest labor and look down with contempt upon their poorer neighbors. The children of the wealthy are taught that to be gentlemen and ladies they must dress fashionably, avoid all useful labor, and shun the society of the working classes....?{FH 153.5}[5]
Such ideas are wholly at variance with the divine purpose in the creation of mankind....?{FH 153.6}[6]
The Son of God honored labor. Though He was the Majesty of heaven, He chose His earthly home among the poor and lowly, and worked for His daily bread in the humble carpenter shop of Joseph.... The path of the Christian laborer may be hard and narrow, but it is honored by the footprints of the Redeemer, and they are safe who follow in that sacred way.—Signs of the Times, May 4, 1882.?{FH 153.7}[7]
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