I wrote this three years ago while walking through Las Vegas on a Sunday. I’ve thought a lot about it since and I’ve expanded on some ideas. I love friend chicken, so this was hard to write :)

“Egypt didn’t allow for any time off”.

That’s the thought that came to mind when I passed the closed Chick-Fil-A while on a break from the conference I was attending in Las Vegas. As you can imagine, Vegas does not stop making money...ever. It’s a city designed to make money like no other.

So a closed fast-food restaurant along the strip sticks out. On a Sunday morning, this brand stands out as being very upfront about limiting its profitability. It’s closed while others continue to make money. The fried chicken chains that Chick-Fil-A competes with are most certainly open on a Sunday. They are happy to take full weeks’ worth of revenue.

In the exodus story in the Bible, God gives the Israelites the ten commandments after bringing them out of slavery in Egypt. These commandments are meant to set them apart as a culture and introduce the world to a healthier way to live.

8 “Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 You have six days each week for your ordinary work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath day of rest dedicated to the Lord your God. On that day no one in your household may do any work. This includes you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, your livestock, and any foreigners living among you. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and everything in them; but on the seventh day he rested. That is why the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy.” - Exodus 20:8-11 NLT

In this passage, God gives the Hebrew people some distinct branding. They lived as slaves under an empire that did not offer them any rest. This was the world they were accustomed to. When living in Egypt, they worked seven days a week.

No day off ever. Why? Because the business of empire-making is never-ending. Profitability at all costs with no regard for the impact it has on others.

At the giving of the ten commandments, God was orienting his people to how things were going to be different.

“This is how it’s going to be; you’re going to take a break once a week. You’re going to take a break with the knowledge that someone will probably get ahead of you today. Oh and by the way, you’re going to extend the same courtesy to everyone else. Rest is healthy, and it’s embedded into the very fabric of the universe” Exodus 20:10-11 JIT version (Jordan’s Imperfect Translation)

Honoring the sabbath day is one of the most defiant of the Ten Commandments. It sabotages empire-building and unsustainable competition. It’s not good for business - it’s good for humans.

The 4th commandment has serious ramifications. If taken seriously, it would revolutionize our culture.

Imagine a world where everyone could afford to take a day off. The only way this future could come about is if those who can afford to take two days off make it possible for everyone to have one. We would need to take only what we need and relearn how to live life.

In the Exodus story, the Israelites were enslaved to “Big Business,” where the idea of giving anyone a break was alien. All of us familiar with the story know full well that Pharoah was unwilling to entertain the idea of any kind of rest. He led his nation in a way that was normal in his day. The people of Israel gave the world a gift by introducing the idea of a weekend. Another way to look at it is they gave us a vision of a less competitive world and a more compassionate one.

The world would be better off if everyone took this commandment seriously.

Friend, thank you for reading. It’s encouraging that anyone spends a minute or two in this space. May you find an opportunity to stop and rest this week and help others do so as well.