Industriousness Rooted in Love

When pondering on the virtue of industriousness, hard work, we often think of one being diligent in accomplishing a task. Yet, do we seek to understand the root of what it means to be diligent? Diligent means to love, it is to choose something after careful thought and consideration and doing it selflessly. David Isaacs describes a diligent man as one who “ does not rush into things. He does his work thoughtfully and lovingly.” The virtue of industriousness can only be successfully carried out when one’s motive to accomplish the hard work is carried out as an act of love. 

It can be hard to see industriousness as an act of love, afterall one is merely trying to accomplish a task or goal and generally only the effort, or work load, is considered. However, Isaccs goes on to explain that despite the disciplined effort one puts into being industrious, “ hard work leads a person to consider the fulfilment of his daily duties as a fertile field for achieving personal maturity, both natural and supernatural.” Ultimately, one is trying to accomplish their duties in a way that seeks to be a better child of God, and a better instrument of His work. It is seeking to do our best in order to serve God, and to serve others. In order to best serve others there has to be a personal want, and that want is driven by love. If we wish to serve God, and others, to the best of our ability it is because we love them. If we didn’t love God or others then we would not have the drive or want to accomplish any task unless it benefited our own wants and passions. If we are driven only by selfish desires then we aren’t capable of performing a task in a truly loving way. At this point we are no longer industrious but self-absorbed and narcissistic. The best way to understand the true meaning of the virtue of hard work is how St. Josemaria describes in Christ is Passing By, “Work is born of love; it is a manifestation of love and is directed towards love.” 

Now that we have a deeper sense of what hard work, or industriousness is, let us take a look at how we can apply this virtue into the work we do daily within our home and with our family. In any work that we do we should be striving for excellence, not for recognition or personal gratification but rather doing our absolute best as a way of giving of ourselves and our talents in order to glorify God and best serve others. When it comes to our family, the work we do to maintain a home or a relationship should also encompass this same goal. Our goal as a homemaker should be to build a home to the best of our ability, through hard work that is rooted in love. We should be creating a home where our children may thrive and grow to be God’s children who lead a life that is morally just and good. Our home should be built not to appear perfect, but to create the perfect setting for young minds to form, for love to flourish, and where God’s work may yield great fruit. Striving to build a perfect home is recognizing that it will always be imperfect. Our home will at times be messy and chaotic, but it is that chaos that allows order, discipline, and responsibility to be fostered and formed within our children, and ourselves. A homemaker carries out the virtue of hard work with the goal to nourish their family and provide a dwelling in which each need is met. The general upkeep of the home such as frequent cleaning, laundry, and meal preparation all require hard work and can be a very demanding and at times physical job. That work is one that must be done with a serving heart, one that is truly rooted in love. A homemaker is seeking to build and maintain a home that is pleasant to live in and can function efficiently, but they do this not because it is an expectation, rather it is a service that allows for a family to live within a flourishing environment.  

The formation of our children’s virtuous ways requires one to work hard at forming their minds through the countless experiences and opportunities that are lived within the home. Industriousness is essential for any mother who seeks to build a home that allows for each member to feel loved, accepted, and encouraged to grow. A mother is a teacher, and not merely a teacher of academics but of life. She is one who forms the mind and soul of each child she bears, and to properly form a child one must be industrious. Who better to work hard at forming the minds and souls of the next generation with selfless love than a mother who will completely give of herself for her children. After all, a mother completely gives of her body just to bear life. As a mother we must seek to teach and nurture our children with all the dedication and attention that we possess, always understanding we are imperfect and will often fall short. However, despite those falls and shortcoming it is our determination to stand up and try again that truly shows our dedication to working hard in our children’s formation, and in doing it with love. 

When it comes to being industrious within our relationship with others, it is important to remember that effort is a key part in showing our love to others and in maintaining our relationship with them. Hard work requires effort, and our effort in maintaining a relationship with others must be motivated by the love we have for that individual. With each gesture we have with others, particularly with those in our home, we must ensure that it is rooted in a selfless act of love towards the other and never focused on our personal gains. In a relationship we must always put the other person's needs first, and the amount of work we put into each relationship with our family and friends should always strive to give our absolute best, not merely what we prefer or are comfortable with. Oftentimes we can succumb to only putting as much effort in as we are comfortable with, or through the only means we are familiar with. However, when seeking to be industrious in our relationships we must always strive to give more. We should work hard in improving and strengthening each relationship by pushing ourselves to give more of ourselves, especially in ways that can be new, push us to change for the better, and are more tailored to the other person’s needs. Perhaps it’s being the first to suggest plans, date night, or get together versus always letting your friend, husband, or even your children take the first step. Perhaps trying to take part in another person's interest or hobby even if it is out of your comfort zone as a way to know them better and share in quality time that is focused on their interest. It could be making sure to stop and spend time with your child when they ask to play or talk even though you have a never ending to-do list to get done. Sometimes we can be so focused on working hard in other aspects of our lives that we can easily forget to work hard in the most important part of our lives which is the people we love. And just as we can be too busy to work hard at our relationships, we can also fall into mediocrity where we settle into giving a little, never seeking to push ourselves to be diligent in maintaining our relationships because we have become enslaved to laziness, comfort, and fear. 

As a homemaker, wife, mother, sister, or daughter, we should always strive to excel in the work that we do. Our goal should always be to do our best, to accomplish any hard work to the best of our ability and that that work be connected to a worthy purpose. That purpose will give us the motivation to put the effort into fulfilling that work with love. Each dish we clean, each sock we fold, each lesson we teach, and each moment we listen is an opportunity for us to work hard by serving others and that the reason we serve others is because of our love for them. We are each called to be industrious in our vocations and in our ordinary work. Whether it is within our home or at the office, whether it is within our family or with friends. The effort we put into our work and relationships should always be carried out with seeking to glorify God and all His creations, but most of all seeking to glorify Him because we love Him. When we accomplish this, and truly accomplish each task diligently, then our industriousness will truly be rooted in love.