The modern world has fundamentally changed the expectations of communication. Where we used to have no way of contacting a friend or family member if they weren’t home or available at the office, we will now get frustrated if they do not pick up their phone or send a text immediately from anywhere – even the car, plane, or beach vacation. With the growth of the cell-phone and texting user-base, I don’t see this trend changing. And, because people are more me-oriented from the start and as a result of having this kind of contact reach (I can contact you anywhere, anytime as long as you have your cellphone – which I expect you to have), there will probably be a greater number of cases of depression, burnout, and suicide. Man wasn’t made to work 24/7. And, six days from sunrise to sunset in the fields can be fine, but that’s only during the toughest season (not for all of them) for a man who, it is supposed, already has the Lord as his hope and includes seasonal celebrations that are weeks long.
This is another reason why our society is removing itself from society-improving activities (volunteer community improvement, nonprofits without big names, church). It’s hard to serve your neighbor for free while constantly thinking about clients and bosses who can cost you income and job security. That anxiety brings the whole issue of trust into the picture. Do employers trust you to be working hard/smart enough from 8-5? Will you get a raise if you don’t go overboard? What are your expectations, and is there an unwritten level of commitment related to work time beyond 40 hours every week? Moreover, consider those who work on the east coast with clients on the west coast, overseas, or vice versa – 8:00am and 5:00pm aren’t fixed. This is spiraling out of control, and without a connection to a transcendent purpose for rest – a biblical understanding and appreciation – it will continue, taking many men to their grave (consider increasing heart attacks), leaving many distraught families in its wake (from the death or from the absentee fathers).
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