hard work, culture and Jesus

are you working hard enough?

Immigrant families and many minorities have long-been acquainted with  the notions of fitting in, and having to work hard to obtain a piece of the proverbial pie. Being a part of a such family myself, an overriding theme had always been the understanding that they made sacrifices, and that we'd better work hard, or work harder. Amidst the laughter, joy and challenges of living in our Haitian-Christian home, came a very clear  message that you were to live and work to show yourself above reproach, firstly to God, your parents, then, your teachers, and certainly any white folks who might be looking on. It’s made  wonder recently – what message will I consciously be sharing with my daughter? Even more importantly, what messages will my life unconsciously teach her?

I saw my mother and father work harder than anyone I’ve ever met, doing varying jobs throughout our growing up years to make sure all our needs of us 6 siblings were met. My dad was an accountant, than later on, a welder by trade, and a preacher/church planter/pastor after hours. Rewards, we were taught,  were given only to those who worked hard. Certainly where schooI was concerned – our parents told to us, we'd have to work twice as hard to be recognized and given what we deserved. Our parents refused to sign their names next to failing work – to them that was anything that was lower than a “B” -- when teachers would require parental signatures. They didn’t play. And looking back, I see how that was good.  How they wanted to make sure we had the best chance in a white world. And boy were those white teachers lovin' the Ernest 6.

you better represent

But somewhere along the line, it became clear to me, that I had the burden of representing my whole ethnic culture - no scratch that - the entire Black race with my pluses and minuses.  And the one thing about those minuses -- It always felt as if everyone was extra aware about the minuses that a black kid did.  (more than the minuses that a white kid did). And this is what my parents knew. For example if I was late to anywhere - it couldn't just be that Achlaï was late. It was "you know those Haitians, how late they are.” Or “Black folk just can't be on time anywhere.” These days, it’s often comments about Baltimore or Ferguson –  perpetuating negative stereotypes about boys and men in our community.  The idea that we as Black people don’t get to rest and experience life, unless we’ve earned it so-to-speak one  way or the other, has seeped into many-a-folks(mine included) consciousness.

It'snosurprisetherefore,thatnearlytwodecadeslater,theideaof"letting-up-on-myself", gettingadequaterest,practicingself-care* and all those other wonderful and deeply important aspects of spiritual direction and thoughts from the Desert Fathers, (and all of the ancient stuff, which I think is SO wonderful), still fall on much fallow ground of my heart, which must be continually tilled by the gentle kneading of the Spirit.

we want more

I’m reminded of the John 6 passage, which depicts a story, a dialogue, really, between  Jesus and the people for whom Jesus had done the “works” of multiplying bread, providing them with food to eat. After this great miracle, the people went looking for Jesus – “working” hard to find more bread. When Jesus calls them out on their skewed motives in their desire to be with him, he doesn’t just leave them there. He also admonishes them not to work for food that will disappear,  but to make the work worth it -  for food that will last longer than a meal, for food that will last forever.  

I find myself asking right alongside them – well, what is the work, I should do? That God will finally approve of? Is it being the most successful black woman I can be, representing my ethnicity and race with flying colours? Is it being the most efficient time-manager, neat-aholic, pristine house-keeper, to-do-list-finisher? Is it even really possible to find a way to satisfy the works of God in a way that doesn’t overburden, paralyze—even for a super-mom-complexed-perfectionist-in-recovery like me? A works that will transcend culture, or at least take it into account, and yet trump all, to give me life and freedom from both my inherited “work harder-ness” and self-imposed “it’s never good-enough-ness?”

Like the people in that passage, I sit on the edge of my seat, leaning in forward so I can hear the Jesus’ answer to this question I ask just about daily.

In verse 28: “What can we do to perform the works of God” they asked.

 And Jesus’ answer gives me life. Every.single. time. That I read it.

 “This is the works of God: that you believe in the One He has sent.” And that is all. Nothing more, nothing less.

 Believe in the One whom He sent.

 Is that all? Really?? What a relief! Why do we make it so complicated? What freedom and life literally fills up my lungs as I read that. Gone is the  influence of cultural impositions from minority or majority cultures! Gone is the on-going lie of satan, that I’ll never win, because I can’t seem to “keep up” in my life at all times. Gone is the lie that I’ll only feel good when I finish my “To-Do Lists”.  And my To-Do lists, always (hear me when I say always) out-do my allotted time to accomplish them. Probably because I cram in too much, and underestimate too often, how long any given project, task, assignment will actually take to finish in said time…Really, To-Do-Lists and I are Frienemies (is that how that’s spelled?)…:)

We digress, for there’s more life from Jesus to be had.

After the people ask for some sign to know whether or not they should believe He is who He says He is (the One), while also questioning if He is claiming to be like Moses who gave their forefathers bread, back in the day – Jesus gives them a little schooling on the identity of the Person who actually provided the bread from heaven back in the day of the Old Testament. The same heavenly Father who is now once more providing Bread of Life – but unlike the manna that fell from heaven and was wasted,  this Bread of Life, is bread that lasts always. And then once again come these life-altering, culture-trumping words from the Word:

 “For the Bread of God is the One who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” (verse 22).

Wow. Another wave of relief, and then tears washes over me. That life and rest can truly be mine too. That I can stop trying to wrest rest from life and rest instead in the Life that He alone, is designed to give. Accomplishing our To-Do Lists and clean houses and good grades can only do so much – let alone, truly give us life. They were never designed to do all that. Jesus is telling them and us, later readers, that our religious history, our cultural mores, being a wonderful cultural token for majority culture, nor the ways in which we constantly pressure or guilt ourselves, are what gives life.

Jesus is the One who gives life. 

No more wresting rest from life.

When I acknowledge Him, take deep breaths in, the life comes in by the power of the Holy Spirit.

"The Spirit is the One who gives life. The flesh doesn't help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life." (verse 63)

And the world stops squishing together in incomprehensible sentences that cannot be deciphered, more and more in relieving clarity: 

*It’s no surprise therefore, that nearly two decades later, the idea of "letting-up-on myself", getting adequate rest, practicing self-care is so life-giving and refreshing. 

May many more of us, 2nd generation hyphenated North Americans and minorities receive the life that Jesus speaks of in John 6. Even as I encourage her to do her best, as God has designed her, may the above be the message of life I share with my daughter.

I can rest. I was designed to have margins. God does not actually need me to run the world. Sabbath is a gift AND a command. I am best, when I rest.

Therefore,  I am grateful for  my growing awareness of this life that Jesus gives even to me,  a strong hard-working Black woman.  But  I am learning that I no longer am working hard because I seek life through it, but rather I have life simply because Jesus gives it.

-          Achlaï Ernest Wallace

Scriptures taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible.