In the first creation account, a relatively simple command is given to human beings: men and women are instructed to love and to work.
“Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth” (Genesis 1:28).
In the first half of this verse, human beings are called to be fruitful.
This fruitfulness takes place between men and women in marriage.
The principal fruit of marriage is the child, not in isolation from any other consideration, but surrounded by a communion of love.
Even for those who are not married and might be called to a different vocation, the command to love— to enter into loving communion with family and friends— still applies, because human beings are made to love and be loved.
The second half of the verse speaks about work.
The most basic and general description of work has to do with having dominion over the earth.
Our work is to transform and perfect the world according to God’s plan: to “till the ground” (Genesis 2:5), grow food, raise livestock, foster health, create culture, and basically, to do all the things that go into bringing about human flourishing and the flourishing of the world around us.
In short, the fundamental vocation of every human being is to love and to work.
But our lives can’t be split neatly into these categories; the unity of human life must be preserved.
While we work, we must also love those around us.
While we love those around us, especially in our homes and families, we must also work to support that love— for example, through managing the household.
Most fundamentally, the time we enjoy is a unified “set” of moments, which we must steward or allocate following an overall unity and plan of life.
For us as men, we have to balance love and work, pursuing each with dedication and diligence.
This will mean being good stewards of our time, apportioning it to foster true love and excellent work faithfully.
Spend time in your daily prayer considering the one life you’ve been given, with all of its tasks, obligations, and opportunities.
Ask the Lord to give you the conviction that, by seeing the unity of life, you will be better able to steward your time in the service of all life’s dimensions.
