I’m the kind of person that enjoys a good read. And, there are several books that have made it to the top of my favorites list over the years. Most of my favorites are written by great Christians of the past.
But, I have a favorite in my top five that is not a Christian book. The book is ‘Hatchet’ by Gary Paulsen. Based on a true story, the book is generally thought of as children’s literature. However, after reading it as a young man, I have read it again several times as an adult.
What is it about this story that I find so helpful? Survival. Pure and simple. The need to work to survive is one of God’s most wonderful gifts to sinful mankind. If we did not have to work hard to survive, the evil that we would get ourselves into would be unimaginable.
Some people are born with privilege and don’t necessarily have to work hard. But, even among these, the smart ones do indeed work hard. And those who don’t, do not have a good impact.
This need to work to survive teaches us value, truth, responsibility, and compassion. Though we might think it would be so much better to live a life of leisure, the best lessons are learned through work.