Financial Freedom Principle #17: The blessings and benefits of working

Thoughts

There are many opinions about work. Some people think it is right to work all the time and have no pleasure. Other people have the idea that other people should do all the work so they can use all their time for pleasure. The truth is somewhere between these two extremes is where we ought to be. The Bible teaches many lessons about work.

  1. The Lord God worked six days and then rested. “And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done.” Genesis 2:2
  2. Sleep is more pleasant after working. “The sleep of a laboring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much; but the abundance of the rich will not permit him to sleep.” Ecclesiastes 5:12
  3. There are general benefits of hard work. “In all labor there is profit, but idle chatter leads only to poverty.” Proverbs 14:23
  4. There are specific benefits of hard work.
    1. “He who tills his land will be satisfied with bread, but he who follows frivolity is devoid of understanding.” Proverbs 12:11
    2. “He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, but he who follows frivolity will have poverty enough!” Proverbs 28:19
  5. When we work, we should see God as our boss. “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men.” Colossians 3:23
  6. We should be diligent about our work. “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.” Ecclesiastes 9:10
  7. As we work, remember God makes sense of what we do. “Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep.” (Psalm 127:1-2)

Some additional verses about work: Genesis 2:15; Exodus 20:9; Nehemiah 5:14-16; Proverbs 16:26; 19:15, 24; 21:25; Ecclesiastes 5:18-19; Ephesians 4:28; 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12; 2 Thessalonians 3:6-9, 11-12; 2 Timothy 2:6.

The bottom line is, there are powerful benefits and blessings in working especially when it is work as unto the Lord.