An Unselfish Sabbath?

“Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest and the slave born in your household, and the alien as well, may be refreshed.” (Exodus 23:12)

All of my life I’ve struggled with the practice of Sabbath. For a long time, it was because I thought this was an old law that didn’t need to be taken too seriously anymore by a new covenant kind of guy. By the time I realized how off base that theology was, I wrestled with the command because I was not used to slowing down. I reasoned that I could take a Sabbath in my heart or live with an attitude of Sabbath. The Apostle Paul seemed to argue that it wasn’t about a specific day of the week, and even Jesus said that people were not made for the Sabbath, but that the Sabbath was made for us.

In the culture most of us were raised in, a real day of rest is about as difficult to come by as a winning lottery ticket. In fact, that is exactly how we treat it: It’s an unexpected treasure to discover a 24-hour period where absolutely nothing productive needs to be done and during which we can simply rest, recreate, and enjoy relationships. Recently in my life I’ve recognized that I can’t wait for these days to magically happen, but that I need to plan them regularly if they are ever going to take place at all.

For my life to be healthy, the experts say, I need to take a Sabbath—I need to rest from my efforts. I can buy that. And I’m doing my best to try it.

But all this time I’ve missed something very important. Sabbath is not just about me. This verse in Exodus (23:12) is clear about the fact that one of the reasons I must take a Sabbath is so that others around me can rest.

When I decide to burn the candle at both ends for seasons on end without a break, I’m not the only one who feels it; everyone around me suffers. Now, I don’t have an ox or a donkey, and would never own a slave, but this principle can be quickly contextualized. How often does my wife suffer because I can’t slow down? When do my kids not feel short-changed as I charge off to more work or further ministry, having not spent a legitimate day of rest with them for weeks? How hard do I drive my staff or co-workers because they feel they should answer my email or cell phone call on a day when we are called to unplug?

We living creatures were designed to be refreshed. I deny that possibility in other’s lives around me when I refuse to submit to a Sabbath. Even if I can take a Sabbath “in my heart”, I’m doing nothing for the needed rest or refreshment in those I care about. There are other reasons to follow this important mandate, but even if following the Sabbath were only for others, it would be well worth it.