Help Wanted
“Help Wanted” signs are everywhere. Businesses are suffering because of the lack of people who want to work full time – or at all.
Recognizing that there are exceptions for those with illnesses or injuries limiting their ability to work, humans were made to work. “Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; in plowing time and in harvest you shall rest.” Exodus 34:21
Biblically, work covers a multitude of skills and gifts: labor in the fields (Exodus 23:12), labor regarding artwork (Exodus 31:5, 35:32), accounting (Genesis 39:11), carpentry, masonry, judges, the work of the priests in the House of the Lord, and many more. It is even clear that God rewards those who work diligently (as He did with the widows in 1Timothy 5:9-10).
The scripture goes so far as to say that the man who is not willing to work should not eat (2 Thessalonians 3:10) and the Proverbs repeatedly address the negative consequences for a lazy man (Proverbs 12:24, 13:4, 19:24, and Proverbs 26:13-16).
The imagination can run wild with “why” people today do not want to work. Have they gotten addicted to video games or pornography? Are they still afraid of being around other people who might have an illness they fear?
In just a little bit of researching for the answer it is apparent that during the “pandemic” the government was so generous with “benefits” that the working man felt foolish to work for less money than she/he could bring in by government handout. It acted as an incentive not to work. One article[i] suggested that some made so much more on the handouts that they were able to save money as never before. As these savings decrease over time it is thought that many will have to look for work again.
There are so many things for the Christian to consider as we look at this state of the workforce and the state of our nation. Should the Christian refuse a job and collect government handouts? What example do we set for the next generation when we rely more on the government than we do on our God to provide our daily bread? If we do not obey God’s commands to work and rest, are the other commands equally dismissed (in the eyes of the next generation)?
Though these “government benefits” may sound so compassionate for the one who lost her job during the pandemic, we can see that the “Nanny State” not only excludes God as our Provider but also puts civil government in God’s place. In the first of the Ten Commandments, God says, “You shall have no other gods before Me.“ (Exodus 20:3).
As it subsidizes the citizens, the government also makes laws that are contrary to our faith and detrimental to all (like the falsely named “Respect for Marriage Act” that removes some religious freedom for Christians). At the same time we are funding unjust wars (where are we getting $45 billion) and rewriting election laws (while we are distracted by the holidays).
Is this who we want as our “god”?
Politically, this is not “fixable”” by the average Joe. However, the Christian needs to stand firm on what we know to be true about our Heavenly Father. He will provide for all of our needs (Matthew 6:30-31). He will be our ever-present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1). He is our refuge and strength. These are His attributes – not the government’s.
As Christ’s ambassadors, as His co-heirs, what are we doing with our time? Are we working as the Lord commands? Are we interacting with others in order to do the work of taking dominion, of discipling the nations, and the work of teaching the next generation of the goodness and mercy of the Lord?
The work we are called to do cannot be accomplished from our couches. Let’s stay off the government dole and in the center of the will of our Great God. He does not need our help but we need to respond to His command to do what He has gifted us to do…work.
[i] https://mises.org/power-market/why-arent-people-working