Lesson 3: Work

By the end of this lesson, the student should:

(1) Explain what the Bible teaches about work.

(2) Demonstrate the characteristics of a Christian work ethic.

Brother Lawrence was a simple monk who lived in a monastery in the 1600s. He became famous for doing very common work—peeling potatoes and washing dishes—out of love of God and for never letting God’s presence be far from his mind. He continually made God the central focus in his whole life, including his work.

The Practice of the Presence of God is a very brief book which has been read by millions. It contains interviews and letters from Brother Lawrence. He writes, “Our sanctification [does] not depend upon changing our works, but in doing that for God’s sake which we commonly do for our own.”

► What is work? Is work only employment—being hired to do something?

Work includes employment, but it also consists of taking care of ourselves and others, managing the things we have, producing things, doing business for profit, and helping others freely.

► Should a believer work? Why?

Many people think it would be wonderful to have enough money that they would not have to work. They think the most enjoyable life would be a life of leisure.

Think about how God designed the world at the beginning. It was perfect (Genesis 1:31). It was the perfect environment for the first people God made. God gave jobs to the first people (Genesis 1:28). God could have designed the world to meet all human needs without work, but he didn’t. God knew that the best life for people includes work.

God planned for our work to be involved with our relationships. People must learn to cooperate, depend on each other, be reliable for one another, use strengths and help others with weaknesses, meet challenges together, work out disagreements, correct mistakes, be trained, and train others.

God gave people the authority and responsibility to manage the earth, bring it under control, and develop it for his glory. This assignment has led to the development of agriculture, raising of animals, mining minerals out of the earth, and development of technology.

God created us above the rest of nature because we have something of His nature in us. Psalm 8:6-8 says

You have given him [mankind] dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

Because of the first sin, the world changed, and work includes many difficulties and frustrations that were not in God’s original design (Genesis 2:17-19). However, we must realize that God designed us to need work.

Our work is similar to God’s work of creation. Work is man’s way of reshaping his environment. Earning a living is not the only purpose of work. People have the instinct to change their environment. They try to improve their houses. They try to dispose of trash. A person who no longer desires to work has given up his desire and ability to change his environment. He is giving up part of what it means to be human.

► What do you think when you see a house or yard that is not maintained well?

The human orientation toward creating, planning, organizing and producing—work—is part of the image of God in man. Therefore all work is sacred for the believer. All work is an act of worship when it is done to please the Lord (Colossians 3:17, 23). Jesus said that his Father worked, and therefore he worked as well (John 5:17).

You should not think of work as an unpleasant necessity, like taking medicine when you are sick. Work is not just something that is necessary for survival. It is part of God’s design for humanity.

2 Thessalonians 3:10 says that we should work, “For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.”

What shall we do if our work seems insignificant? Mahatma Gandhi said, “What you do may seem insignificant, but it is most significant that you do it.” Imagine a man who was hired to sweep floors. That may seem like an insignificant job, but he is making an important choice. When he goes to work every day, he is choosing to do that rather than spend his time idly, giving no value to anyone. He is choosing to take responsibility for supporting himself rather than being a parasite on friends or family. He is taking care of those who are depending on him, perhaps a wife and children, rather than forcing them to look for help. All those considerations help us realize that while the work itself may seem insignificant, it is significant that he chooses to do it.

Are there many people who truly cannot work? No. Even if a person is unable to be employed to work for wages, he probably could do something to help meet the needs of others.

Followers of Christ should work because they are responsible for themselves and others. They should not expect others to provide for their needs if they are not willing to do what they can.

A believer is first responsible for his family. “But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Timothy 5:8).

A believer is commanded by scripture to work so that he can meet the needs of others. “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need” (Ephesians 4:28). Notice the contrast between the one who steals, taking something for nothing; and the one who works so that he can give. A believer is not just one who does not steal, but one who works in order to give.

You can find work to do even if you are not hired by anyone. Find ways to be helpful and meet the needs of others. It is better to live that way than to do nothing and complain that nobody helps you.

Believers should work to provide for themselves and for their families, and to be able to give to others who have needs.

► What would you say to a person who says that he will not work because he is depending on God to supply his needs?

Imagine that late one summer you walked into your backyard and found that a large section of it had grown tomatoes, corn, beans, and other vegetables, and there was enough to last you for a long time.

Would that seem like a miracle? It happened to thousands of people last summer. They walked into their backyards and found all that growing and even more. But they weren’t amazed, or even surprised, because a few months before, they had cultivated the ground, then planted seeds in it, then for months made sure it was watered and weeded. So when they found a crop growing, it was only what they expected.

You may react, “Then that wasn’t a miracle at all.” But God made millions of plants, and people have never made one. Psalm 104:14 says, “You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth.” God does it, but people prepare for it by preparing the ground, planting seeds, and watering when necessary.

A lot of people think of an act of God as something unusual, an exception to natural law, such as when Jesus healed or when the sun stood still. So in that sense, the growth of plants is not miraculous, because it is ordinary.

But in wishing for a miracle, we too often ignore God’s normal way of doing things. There were millions of people who walked into their backyards today and did not find anything growing that they could eat. They did not get involved in God’s way of producing food. The process for food growth is just one example of God’s normal way of working. For example, God’s normal way of providing for needs is through human’s work. Proverbs 14:23 teaches us that “In all toil there is profit,” while Proverbs 19:15 warns us that “an idle person will suffer hunger.”

There are people who wish God would provide something for them, but they reject opportunities to work, because these opportunities are not things they want to do.

What if you are willing to work but have not found someone to hire you? There is work that you can do to help others, and through that work, some of your needs can be met. If you are unemployed, you have time. Why not look around and see what you can do to help someone else?

Imagine a man who is unemployed and spends hours every day sitting and doing nothing. Is there really nothing valuable for him to do? In his neighborhood are people who need help. There is trash in his yard and on the street that should be cleaned up. There is ground that could be cultivated to raise food. There may be books available for him to read and increase his knowledge. There is someone for whom he can pray. The man who is sitting and doing nothing has one employee, himself, and his employee is not producing or developing. He is not being a good employer of himself, so he probably will not get the opportunity to manage others.

In many times and places, most people are not hired by someone. They produce something to exchange, or they offer a service to others. These are all ways that God provides for us.

The principles of responsibility and honesty provide some ethics for believers to apply to their work.

► How should a believer apply biblical principles when he works for an employer?

The New Testament gives directions to workers. At the time the books of the New Testament were written, many workers were slaves. An employee today differs from a slave in that he or she may have the opportunity to move to different employment. That freedom makes it possible for them to accept or reject the terms of employment. However, if they have agreed to work for certain benefits, they are required by scripture to be good workers as long as they remain with the employer.

You may be in a situation where you are not free to choose the work that you want to do. Maybe you are forced to work in an oppressive situation. You should still have the attitude of Christ. Some people work slowly and badly when they are forced because they want to show that they are not willing to be working. When a person does that, he shows that he is not free. If you want to act freely, you should work cheerfully and do the work well. When you work like that, you are acting freely, because nobody can force you to do that.

If nobody has hired you, you are your own supervisor. What kind of employee have you been for yourself?

Ephesians 6:5-8 — The Principle of Responsibility

► A student should read Ephesians 6:5-8 for the group. Discuss the meaning of this passage, then look at the list below to add to your observations.

Some applications from Ephesians 6:5-8:

1. A worker is to obey his employer, not only when watched, but always. That also means that he should not neglect details that he knows are unlikely to be inspected (“...not by the way of eye-service...”).

2. A worker should maintain the quality and diligence of his work as if working for God (“...as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God...”).

3. A worker will be blessed by God for faithfulness in his work (“He will receive back from the Lord...”).

Titus 2:9-10 — The Principle of Honesty

► A student should read Titus 2:9-10 for the group. Discuss the meaning of this passage, then look at the list below to add to your observations.

Some applications from Titus 2:9-10:

1. A worker should be respectful in his response to his employer’s directions (“...not argumentative...”). What are some results when a worker speaks disrespectfully about his employer to other workers?

2. A worker should not steal from his employer, even if he thinks he deserves more pay (“...not pilfering...”).

3. Faithful work is a testimony for the gospel; unfaithfulness is a reproach on the gospel (“...that they may adorn the doctrine of God...”).

► What are some examples of ways that some people are dishonest in their work? Describe how a believer should be different.

The scripture passages in Titus and Ephesians are talking about how a person should work if someone hires him. The same principles apply to a person who is hired to build something or repair something. He should do the same quality of work that he would want someone to do for him. A person who makes things to sell should not hide defects to make buyers think they are getting something better.

What qualities do employers want a worker to have? Research shows that employers want people who have a positive attitude about work. They want people who are reliable and ready to learn. Often people are hired for their attitude about work more than for their training or talents. God also cares about our attitude toward work as we have seen in scripture already.

Develop the qualities that make you a valuable worker. You should be ready to serve. You need to be honest, reliable, and patient. Some unemployed people think only about what they need. An employer does not hire you to help you; he hires you to help him. You need to be the kind of person who would be valuable to an employer.

A person may say, “I would be friendly and helpful and honest if I were getting paid for it,” but employers don’t hire an unfriendly person and pay him to be friendly. They don’t hire a dishonest person and pay him to be honest. They are looking for a friendly, helpful, and honest person to hire.

In the church things are different. We don’t wait for people to give or be friendly before we are willing to help them. God also reaches out to you and blesses you before you do anything good. But for your own benefit, you need to start responding to grace. Learn to give and serve and smile.

Develop your qualities. Learn skills by working with people who already have those skills. Maybe you can offer a service to others. Maybe you can make a product to sell. Maybe you can raise a crop. Most of all, have an attitude of helpfulness to others even when it does not profit you. God will bless your service.

What does it mean to serve? To serve is to use your abilities, time, and energy for the benefit of someone else.

Whether or not you are working for an employer, service requires you to set aside some of your rights and privileges. For example, if you are working for others you may not be able to sleep as late as you want in the morning, and you cannot spend work time doing what you want to do. You submit aspects of your life to a purpose you are hired for. Employment even affects the way you dress and the way you treat other people.

A readiness to serve brings many benefits:

1. It forms relationships that result in some of your needs being met. Often this happens in unpredictable ways, so it’s not just a matter of helping the people that you think will be able to do something for you.

2. It gives you a valuable place in the church, the body of Christ.

3. It may make you a person that someone wants to hire.

What if you can begin to form a new mindset—looking for ways to serve others? Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35). Do you really believe that? Do you live like you believe it?

There is a spiritual principle of thinking of the needs of others and not being totally absorbed in your own needs (Philippians 2:4). There is also a practical principle. Remember, those who hire people are not usually doing it to help the people they hire. They hire someone because they think that person can meet a need that they have. So if a person is only able to think of what he wants somebody to do for him, he may not be worth hiring.

Things happen when people are willing to work. Those benefits are things that would seem like miracles if they just happened unexpectedly, but God has a normal way of bringing those benefits into your life.

It’s probably a waste of time to be hoping, wishing, or even praying for God to do a miracle if you are not willing to work so that you can receive help the way God likes to give it.

► Someone could share a story about how good work for an employer made an opportunity for the gospel.

► Someone could share a story about how helping a person in his neighborhood was a good demonstration of Christian care.

► The group should share ideas together about the work opportunities that are available for a person who is unemployed.

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the privilege I have to work creatively. Help me to see opportunities to help others. Provide my needs as I work to take responsibility for myself and others.

Bless me with resources so that I can support my family, give to the church, and help others with needs.

Help me to be honest and reliable in all of my responsibilities. Prepare me for greater opportunities and responsibilities if that is your will. Thank you for always being faithful to me.

Amen

(1) Study these passages:

• Proverbs 6:6-11

• Proverbs 10:4-5

• Proverbs 12:11, 24, 27

• Proverbs 13:4, 11

• Proverbs 14:23

• Proverbs 18:9

• Proverbs 20:13

• Proverbs 22:29

• Proverbs 24:30-34

• Proverbs 26:13-16

Write a page of points and applications about work and laziness from these passages.

(2) Work with another classmate to prepare a brief presentation on one of the topics listed below. (The class leader will assign a topic to each team.) Share the presentation at the beginning of the next class time.

• Work and the image of God in man

• Work and responsibility for oneself and others

• The way a Christian employee should work (This presentation should be based on Ephesians 6:5-8 and Titus 2:9-10.)

• The way God usually provides for people’s needs

• Work and relationships with others