Vacation-Deficit Disorder

I came across an article with this title in the November/December issue of National Geographic Traveler magazine. It says that Americans lag way behind other nations in time off. Out of 20 Westernized nations, we rank dead last. We have no government mandated paid vacation days or holidays. (Many of us would pride ourselves in the fact that the government can't tell us what to do or not do, but that's another issue.) The result is that we are a nation of burned out work junkies. Our personal lives suffer. Our families suffer. Our businesses suffer.

We all know that rest and vacation time make us better, more productive workers. Even our bosses know that. And yet, for some reason, we offer little real rest time: 1 week after one year of work. 2 weeks after 2-3 years. 4 weeks after over 20 years. What are we thinking?

This particular article was timely in that we are setting policy for our church staff on vacation time. The board has had two very spirited discussions on the whole topic of vacation time. One the one hand, we all agree that vacation time is good for us and the company (in our case, for the ministry). On the other hand, many corporations give horrible vacation packages so should a church staff get more vacation time than the average bear?

I finally asked the question--why do we as a nation put up with that? What's wrong with us! Why have we allowed companies to take advantage us to the detriment of our health, families, and sanity! (I think we're just too tired to fight for more time off!)

I want my staff to have the same amount of time off that I have. One of the board asked a very good question: "Pastor Brian has only been in ministry for a year. You've been at it for 23 years. You want him to have the same amount of time off?" My reply--he works the same amount of hours I do (at least I think he does! :)) so he could use the same amount of time off. I make more than he does as I have more experience and more responsibility. But Brian or the rest of the staff are no good to the congregation if we're burned out.

I recognize the problem for many of us workers is that we could ask for more time off and the company will simply show us the door.

But at what cost?

Denmark, according to the article, has been lauded in the press as having one of the best business environments in the world. They have some of the world's highest wages and 7 weeks of paid vacation!

God created us to work from rest, not to rest from work. He created us on the 6th day. So our first real day of life was spent on the 7th, resting with God. Denmark, and other savvy countries and businesses have discovered a key Biblical principle.

Our board, their vacation times aside, have made the decision that on this issue the church needs to take the lead and have offered us a very nice vacation package.

How can we as followers of Jesus graciously influence our places of business to do the same?

Remember the story of Daniel and the boys? They refused the eat the King's food. So they offered up a challenge. If they ate healthy food and were not in better shape than those who ate the King's food, then they would eat the King's food as well. They ended up healthier.

Perhaps we need to be Daniels and challenge corporations to give us 3-4 weeks off and see if we aren't more productive in the long run. If not, we'll go back to our meager 5 days a year.

Any Daniels out there?