What Does the Bible Say About Labor?
Insights on Why God Values Work and Why Laziness Doesn't Work
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employed parents ages 25 to 54 on average work 8.7 hours each day and sleep just 7.6 hours, which means they spend more time working than sleeping. A statistic like this makes sense based on the Biblical principle that the value people place on work strongly influences the outcome of their and their dependents' lives – whether for good or for bad.
Where Did the Idea of Labor Come From?
God initially set the perfect example of labor in the Old Testament when he created the heavens and the earth and on the seventh day “ended his work” and rested (Genesis 2:2). Christians believe that six days of creation were spent diligently orchestrating the cycle of day and night, developing the intricacies of seemingly countless species of plants and animals and creating the complexities of man and woman.
Even Jesus emphasized the value of work in the New Testament. He healed several ailing individuals, ministered to multiple crowds hungry for hope and ultimately underwent grueling physical torture on the cross to purchase salvation for a human race that was under the curse of sin. In John 17:4, Jesus prayed to God saying, “I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.”
If Jesus and God himself had to work to accomplish their goals and plans, then all humans likewise are expected to work. As King Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 1:8 while describing the course of nature, “All things are full of labor.”
What Happens If You Don't Work?
Proverbs 13:11 warns that “wealth gained by dishonesty will be diminished, but he who gathers by labor will increase.“ The Bible repeatedly emphasizes that a man will not eat if he doesn’t work (2 Thessalonians 3:15). An individual simply will not succeed at attaining food and other bare necessities of life if he or she does not work to earn them. Humans were created with a potential and need to work.
Even Adam, the first man, was put in charge of naming all of God’s newly created animals in Genesis 2:19-20. Labor of all varieties today — from farming to health care — not only makes the world system run smoothly by meeting the many needs of the human race, but work also generates monetary income for individuals to help make their own lives run more smoothly while giving them a sense of self-satisfaction and purpose.
Proverbs 6:6-11 says, “Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, which ... provides her supplies in the summer and gathers her food in the harvest." The ant isn’t necessarily the most intelligent of creatures, but it still accomplishes so much by setting its feet in motion. Likewise, even intelligent individuals with lofty dreams and visions can inherit destruction if they fail to set their hands in motion.
Why is Work So Important?
Solomon admonishes people to glorify God through their work while there's still time. Ecclesiastes 9:10 reads, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.” Christians believe that humans were created for a purpose, and the Bible says there is profit in all labor, thus work can be viewed as one way to fulfill God's purpose for individuals' lives.
Solomon also advises that “in the morning sow your seed, and in the evening do not withhold your hand; for you do not know which will prosper, either this or that.” God stresses that individuals must not only work hard and persistently but also work smart — and not be hasty but patient in awaiting the fruit of their labor — because they surely will reap what they sow.
In addition, the Bible speaks strongly against laziness and vain action. Christians believe that people should avoid idle chatter and behavior because this breeds sin (Proverbs 14:23) . When a person isn’t busy working on something productive, they easily can become busybodies who stir up trouble for others (1 Timothy 5:13). Instead, Christianity holds that individuals use their time and skills to work and labor for something meaningful and purposeful.
Source:
- Scripture quotations are from The Nelson Study Bible: New King James Version (NKJV) © 1997 by Thomas Nelson Inc.
The Bible Says Much About the Value of Labor.
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