WORKING HARD AND DILIGENT IS A CHRISTIAN WAY OF LIFE

Mark Smith on 17 Bible Verses for Labor Day & Working Hard submits, “Dear brothers and sisters, nothing good in life comes easy. Labor is a way of life and so whether you’re enjoying your Labor Day holiday, or you’re on the grind, let these words of the Lord Jesus comfort you for all the days of your life. Before The Fall, God placed man in the garden of Eden to work and to take care of it (Genesis 2:15). And so it was not because of sin that we now have to work, labor stems from the beginning of time. Even God himself labored, and it was a part of His plan for us that we play our part in taking care of His beautiful creation. However, it was also because of The Fall of Man that labor became much more of a “work to live” rather than a “live to work” situation. Like the Lord said, “The earth will produce thorns and thistles and it is by our sweat, that we will eat the plants of the field. ”So even though labor comes with a mixture of emotions, good and bad, we are still expected to work with our hands, be fruitful and multiply.

The Proverbs of Solomon say, “There is profit in hard work, but mere talk leads to poverty.” The Good News: You have to talk the talk and walk the walk if you expect to succeed. Put in the hard work and long hours, and you will see wealth come your way. Proverbs 14:23; Also, Proverbs 21:5 tells us that “the plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to want.” Wise planning requires making decisions for the long-term, as seen for example in the cycle of agricultural asset management. Wisdom says, “I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me” (Proverbs 8:17). “He who has a slack hand becomes poor, but the hand of the diligent makes rich” (Proverbs 10:4). “The hand of the diligent will rule, but the lazy man will be put to forced labor” (Proverbs 12:24).

The bible says, “Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates. (Exodus 20:9-11) Stephen Flurry on Six Days Shall You Labor, “One way Christians keep the Sabbath day holy is by resting on the seventh day of the week (Exodus 20:8). But what are we resting from? Notice the other half of the Fourth Commandment: “Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work” (verse 9). God commands that we labor and do all our work in six days! This is not a suggestion, it is a command—and it’s just as important as the Sabbath half of the command. In fact, the harder we work, the more we will get out of the Sabbath. God is a creator who works for a living, and His purpose is to reproduce Himself through man. As God’s children, we must be willing to labor and work like the Father does. Lesson 55 of the Ambassador College Bible Correspondence Course says, “The spirit or intent of this law shows that a man is normally expected to keep busily engaged in gainful work during the first six days of the week.” When Adam was first created, God placed him in the Garden of Eden and commanded him “to dress it and to keep it” (Genesis 2:15). “Dress it” here also means to labor, to work; by implication, it means to serve as a bondman or to be a slave of labor. In order for Adam to make bread, he had to till the ground, plant the seeds, and labor to bring them to harvest. After the harvest, there was still the milling, kneading and baking involved to make the bread. God could have arranged some other, less labor-intensive way—where we were designed to live on air only or by eating the soil, like an earthworm. But He wanted us to work for our food! We must remember that there is nothing negative about God’s instruction. God commands men to work, and to work hard—but it is not some kind of punishment or sentence.

Flurry opines, submitting to this command actually makes man truly happy and content because it keeps us in a right relationship with God. It keeps us active, working and producing—just like God! Even when God rained manna from heaven directly into the Israelites’ camp, it wasn’t as easy as picking up bread off the ground and eating it. It came in the form of tiny seeds, and they had to go out and gather it every day, grind it in mills, beat it into dough, and bake it in pans to make cakes (Exodus 16).They weren’t allowed to store up large quantities and make a bunch of bread all at once; God specifically commanded them to gather a certain amount every day except Friday, when they were to gather enough for the Sabbath day as well (verses 16-19). If they tried to keep it overnight on any other day, the manna would spoil. It was a test commandment, God said, and notice what part of the test they failed: “Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them” (verse 20). The Bible has about 900 references to employment and work habits. It is God’s nature to work diligently, and He wants us to be just like Him. God is a workman who is always on the job. That’s the way He wants us to be, both men and women. Human nature wants to be lazy, but a true Christian ought to be a diligent, hard worker (1 Timothy 5:8). Hard work is one of the evidences of a true Christian! In John 5:17, Christ said, “My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.” Paul writes in 1 Timothy 5:8, “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” A man’s responsibility is to provide for himself—and especially for those of his own house. Married women who are not employed outside the home should diligently apply this godly work ethic in the home. In 2 Thessalonians 3:10 we find the command that if any do not work, they should not eat. Under the inspiration of God, Paul forbids Christians to be slothful (see also Romans 12:11). Paul also said that hard work is the only sure—and godly—way to avoid poverty (1 Thessalonians 4:11-12). If you don’t currently have a job, first, realize your primary job is to get a job. Do not be lazy in your search.

Simply obtaining a job is not where exhibiting godly work ethic ends. As employees, we are responsible to God to work hard, not just to our physical boss (Colossians 3:22; Ephesians 6:5-6). A good employee constantly feels pressure from Christ (Colossians 3:23). Verse 24 indicates even the service we give our physical bosses is to be considered as service rendered to God. Ecclesiastes 9:10 adds, “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.” That doesn’t say “whatever you are good at” or “whatever you like to do”—it says “whatsoever your hand finds to do ….” Not being good at something is no excuse for laziness—it actually means you must push yourself harder because of it. In John 9:4, Christ says, “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.” Time is short before Christ returns. But instead of that being a hindrance to our work, it ought to prod us to work harder! In Matthew 24:46, Christ says His faithful servants will be the ones who are found working and building right up until His arrival! God doesn’t want us to just sit around and wait for His return. He wants us to continue working and building—both physically and spiritually.

What does diligence mean to you? The dictionary says that it can be described as determination and careful effort. Do you know of anyone that could be described that way? People that are diligent are often working toward a goal. They are not allowing life to just pass by; waiting for good things to fall into their lap without any effort of their own. Apostle Paul writes to the Colossians, We are told to work with all of our hearts, no matter what we are doing and to do so as though we are “working for the Lord” and not for humans. These Bible verses about work ethic tell us that no matter what we are doing we must persist as though we are serving God and not man. Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV). Being diligent includes setting and committing to the right goals, establishing a schedule, managing time effectively, and learning continuously. Knowing how to become more diligent and efficient while working can help progress your career and make you eligible for promotions. Renner.org says, “If you and I take our life assignment lightly — approaching it with a casual, easygoing, take-it-easy, relaxed attitude — we’ll never go far in the fulfillment of our calling or dream. It takes hard work to achieve anything worthwhile and complaining about how hard it is won’t make the process any easier. I always say, “Live like a slug, and you’ll eat dirt the rest of your life.” So, unless we want to “eat a lot of dirt,” we must make the decision to get up and put our hands to the plow!” The Valiant Woman “works with willing hands” (Prov. 31:13), meaning that she chooses, of her own volition, to work tirelessly in pursuit of the household’s goals. “She rises while it is still night” (Prov. 31:15). “She makes linen garments and sells them” (Prov. 31:24). “With the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard” (Prov. 31:16). It adds up to a lot of work. You shall eat the fruit of the labor of your hands; you shall be blessed, and it shall be well with you (Psalm 128:2). A wise man works for his bread and does not depend on the efforts of others to survive. And so this verse, simply put, when you put in the work, you shall enjoy the fruit of your labor. The Lord God will also bless the work of your hands if you work diligently to earn an honest living.

In an agrarian economy, the connection between hard work and well-being is easy to see. As long as they have access to land to cultivate, hard-working farmers do much better than lazy ones. The proverbs are clear that a lazy worker will lose out in the end. A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich. A child who gathers in summer is prudent, but a child who sleeps in harvest brings shame. (Prov. 10:4-5) I passed by the field of one who was lazy, by the vineyard of a stupid person; and see, it was all overgrown with thorns; the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down. Then I saw and considered it; I looked and received instruction. A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want, like an armed warrior. (Prov. 24:30-34) In the ancient near east, hard work brought prosperity, but even one week of laxity during the harvest could spell a hungry winter. Laziness or the lack of diligence in the workplace is destructive. All who have experienced lazy coworkers can appreciate this pungent proverb: “Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, so are the lazy to their employers” (Prov. 10:26). We hate to be stuck on the same team with people who don’t shoulder their share of the burden. The Valiant Woman makes sure that the work of her hands is marketable. She knows what the merchants are buying (Prov. 31:24), chooses her materials with care (Prov. 31:13), and works tirelessly to assure a quality product (Prov. 31:18b). Her reward is that “her merchandise is profitable” (Prov. 31:18a), providing the resources needed by the household and the community. The proverbs are clear that an individual worker’s diligence contributes to the profitability of the entire undertaking. “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to want” (Prov. 21:5). The converse example is shown in the proverb, “One who is slack in work is close kin to a vandal” (Prov. 18:9). A lazy worker is no better than someone who deliberately sets out to destroy the enterprise. All of these anticipate Jesus’ parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30). The Valiant Woman’s diligence gives her an eagerness for the future. “Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come” (Prov. 31:25). While the proverbs are not promises of personal prosperity, in general, our diligence does lead to a better future. Those who till their land will have plenty of food, but those who follow worthless pursuits have no sense. (Prov. 12:11) Anyone who tills the land will have plenty of bread, but one who follows worthless pursuits will have plenty of poverty. (Prov. 28:19) The hand of the diligent will rule, while the lazy will be put to forced labor. (Prov. 12:24).