| KEEP AT YOUR WORK The Lord has given to every man his work. It is every man’s business to do his work, and the devil’s business to hinder him if he can. As sure as the Lord has given you a work to do, Satan will try to hinder you. He may present other things more promising; he may allure you by worldly prospects; he may assault you with slander, torment you with false accusations, set you to work defending your character, employ pious persons to lie about you, editors to assail you, and excellent men to slander you. You may have Pilate and Herod, Annas and Caiaphas all combined against you, and Judas standing by ready to sell you for thirty pieces of silver; and you may wonder why all these things have come upon you. Can you not see that the whole thing is brought about through the craft of the devil to draw you off from your work and hinder your obedience to God? Keep at your work. Do not flinch because the lion roars; do not stop to stone the devil’s dogs; do not fool away your time chasing the devil’s rabbits. Do your work. Let liars lie, let sectarians quarrel, let corporations resolve, let editors publish, let the devil do his worst; but see to it that nothing hinders you from fulfilling with joy the work God has given you. He has not sent you to make money; He has not commanded you to get rich. He has never bidden you to defend your character. He has not set you at work to contradict falsehoods about yourself which Satan and his servants may start to peddle, or to track down every rumor that threatens your reputation. If you do these things, you will do nothing else; you will be at work for yourself and not for the Lord. Keep about your work. Let your aim be as steady as a star. Let the world brawl and bubble. You may be assaulted, wronged, insulted, slandered, wounded, rejected, misunderstood, or assigned impure motives; you may be abused by foes, forsaken by friends, and despised and rejected of men. But see to it with steadfast determination, with unfaltering zeal, that you pursue the great purpose of your life and the object of your being, until at last you can say, “I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do.” |
Literary & Theological Analysis
A. Core Metaphors
- “The Devil’s Business”: The opening thesis establishes a spiritual conflict of duties—God assigns the work, while the adversary’s primary business is systematic distraction and hindrance.
- The Opposition Coalition (Pilate, Herod, Annas, Caiaphas, & Judas): Represents the total convergence of external secular power (Pilate & Herod), hostile religious authority (Annas & Caiaphas), and painful internal betrayal (Judas for 30 pieces of silver). The passage emphasizes that even when every tier of authority and friendship turns against you, it is simply the craft of the devil to distract you from your God-given duty.
- “The Lion’s Roar”: Represents major threats, intimidating obstacles, or overt opposition designed to induce fear and paralyze the worker into inaction.
- “The Devil’s Dogs”: Symbolizes petty critics, noisy barkers, gossips, and malicious attackers. Stopping to throw stones at them wastes valuable energy on fights that hold no kingdom value.
- “The Devil’s Rabbits”: Refers to trivial side-quests, harmless-looking diversions, and personal ambition. While chasing a rabbit is not inherently evil, it draws you off the main path and squanders precious time.
- “He Has Not Sent You to Make Money”: Confronts the temptation of commercializing sacred labor. It re-anchors the Christian worker’s motivation in spiritual obedience rather than financial gain or personal wealth.
B. Spiritual Themes
- Freedom from Self-Vindication: One of the most striking assertions in the text is that God has not called believers to defend their own character, track down rumors, or demand public esteem, or contradict falsehoods. Spending energy managing personal reputation turns divine labor into self-centered labor.
- Steadfast Determination and Single-Minded Focus (“Steady as a Star”): The passage calls for an unswerving commitment to life’s overarching divine purpose, regardless of external hostility, betrayal by friends, or false motives assigned by enemies.
- Faithfulness Over Popularity: Success is defined not by being admired or avoiding conflict, but by completing the specific task entrusted to you by God.
C. Biblical Foundations & Connections
The message of ‘Keep At Your Work’ directly aligns with core biblical passages on divine assignment, spiritual opposition, and unwavering perseverance:
“I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you?” — Nehemiah 6:3
This unwavering refusal to step away from divine duty is echoed in the apostle Paul’s determination to fulfill his mission regardless of hardship.
“But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.” — Acts 20:24
Such single-minded perseverance finds its highest expression in Christ’s own victory upon finishing the work assigned by the Father.
“I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do.” — John 17:4
D. Practical Application
Whether applied to ministry, personal calling, or organizational leadership, ‘Keep At Your Work’ serves as a clear reminder to filter out ambient noise, release the urge to respond to every critic, and concentrate all efforts on the ultimate mission.
Authorship & Historical Background
Primary Attribution: This complete passage is most widely attributed to Dr. Harold Marshall Sylvester (H. M. S.) Richards (1894–1985), the pioneering radio evangelist and founder of The Voice of Prophecy broadcast ministry. Richards was renowned for using striking, plainspoken allegories to motivate ministers and believers toward steadfastness.
Publishing Tradition: Throughout the early to mid-20th century, the prose was frequently reprinted in church bulletins, devotional tracts, and Christian periodicals (such as the Advent Review and Sabbath Herald in 1925), often under the header “Author Unknown” or “Anonymous,” before becoming firmly linked to Dr. Richards’ compiled works.
