Labor or work has its origin in the Garden of Eden.  Genesis 2:15 says “the Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” (NIV)  God did this before the fall as a command and life principle and thus work is good and not a result of the fall.  What changed after sin entered the picture was our attitude toward work.  We can thus best define one’s character by their attitude toward labor as a life principle.  It is important to set this proper context before talking about the holiday known as Labor Day.