Biblical Economics

Biblical Economics

Christian economics is in accordance with biblical principles that are called God's economy.  It is stipulated, for instance, that it is more blessed to give than to receive (like Jesus said) and that God is interested in the success of His servants (not necessarily financial success), i.e., that God blesses the task or endeavor of the believer, and uses him for His glory as a vessel of honor ("... And in whatever he does, he prospers," says Psalm 1:3, NASB).   Jesus said in Matt. 10:8 (NASB) "... Freely you received, freely give."  It is also written, "Give, and it will be given to you.  They will pour into your lap a good measure--pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return"  (Luke 6:38, NASB). We cannot out-give our generous God!



Jesus said, "To whom much is given, much is required." Thus, we all have different levels of talent, resources, time, money, and opportunity to let our lives bring glory to God.  Mother Teresa of Calcutta summed it up by saying that God doesn't call us to success, but to faithfulness. God isn't interested in our achievements, but in our obedience.  To put it in perspective, Einstein also said that we should not strive to be persons of success as much as persons of value--inherent worth in Christ.



The Bible doesn't endorse any form of economic system outright, but the spirit of it seems to view human rights and an open and free economic market.  Biblical economics relies on the profit motive, competition (the government should level the playing field and ensure fairness), stewardship of God's resources (we are accountable to God at the Judgment Seat of Christ), equal opportunity (not equal outcome) in an open market, as little government intervention as possible (even Adam Smith, in The Wealth of Nations, advocated this), i.e., laissez-faire policy, property rights (even the government cannot seize without due process), the Protestant work ethic (ensuring dignity in all labor), and the legitimate money system (stable, free from inflation, and not just fiat currency).



The barter system and mercantile (exchanging gold for products, etc.) systems were used before money in the form of coins or currency were in circulation. Now we have fiat  (it's money by decree, not inherent worth) or printed money from the government, which is only legal because the government says so and has the monopoly to do it, and it's not even backed by its value in precious metals anymore since 1963.  America went off the gold standard soon afterwards.



The basic types of economic systems in existence, though none exist in their purest  form, are capitalism (favoring free enterprise without governmental intervention,  fraud, theft, or force wand open markets that are unregulated), and socialism or communism that take away biblical rights and use a centralized governmental control one's freedom and the other entails totalitarianism or no personal liberty.  Note that economics is called a dismal science because it's not really science, but more like philosophy.  The Christian's main focus necessitates central planners that regulate the means of production and the economy at large.  We are not here to achieve the American dream or to amass wealth as the summum bonum, "for where his treasure is, there his heart will be also."  We are neither to be materialists seeking to become successful monetarily, not to be so spiritual that we are no earthly good. However, we are called to be productive and bear fruit and return on the investment that God made in us to the best of our ability, opportunity, resources, time, and talents.



With a Christian's ethical view, making the maximum profit is not the ultimate bottom line.  Profit must be legit and not by the exploitation of workers or the consumer.  Christ judges a company by its moral value and contribution to the well-being of society, not by how much it makes.  Serve God in the one that you can most glorify Him in and dedicate your service to.  We are made in the image of God and show forth that image best when we work or are in engaged in our calling--what we are meant and suited to do.



There was a film years ago "Wall Street" about a broker that said, "Greed is good."  Capitalism is driven by greed, envy, and covetousness.  We want to keep up with the Jones's!  Businessmen today interpret ethics as the art of not getting caught, not doing the most good to the most people, at the most times, in the most manners, as long as you can.  It has been said that capitalism is a system suited for sinners, while socialism is for saints (but we have both!).



Communist theory or mentality is basically that each one will automatically produce what he is capable of and society "owes" him a living to meet all his needs, if he cannot.  This is the source of the "entitlement mentality" that prevails today--people ruin their lives or are victims and blame the government for their own problems.  But note that society has granted certain people as being entitled.  No one gets something for nothing or undeserved, but only out of compassion and rule of law.  If they get laid off, the government is to blame and must support them. Prosperity is not about God blessing us and seeing how much we can produce and contribute to our fellow man, but how much we can get from the government by milking the system for all it's worth.


The Bible warns against governments that weaken or defile the money supply with dross and this is comparable to inflation, or what is in reality a hidden tax on the one's who are most vulnerable. Inflation is not just an increase in taxes, but an increase in the money supply, which drives up everything in turn and no one comes out ahead.  The only way to eliminate this juggernaut is to balance the budget, but today's economists basically follow the Keynesian model that makes deficit spending respectable and the government just prints money and increases its supply as a hidden tax, which the politicians have gotten away with because of the ignorance of the common people.  Even defender of free enterprise, Milton Friedman, calls for limited and controlled inflation as being in the best interest of the general public, and so it is commonplace to subscribe to.



The Christian worldview doesn't call for a redistribution of wealth or the scarce natural resources of robbing the rich and giving the poor, but of creating equal opportunity under the law, because we believe that "all men are created equal," not equal outcome under the law--the goal is to equitably distribute natural resources.  Also, the Pledge of Allegiance calls for "liberty and justice for all."  The Bible nowhere teaches that we are to be one economic class or classless, as communism teaches, but we are still "one in Christ." Before the law, we are all equal and no one is to be denied liberty and justice, which are never to be perverted--we must not resort to the law of the jungle.



Mandatory welfare was known in antiquity and Israel was obliged to practice it with their tithes, alms, and farming practices, such as being allowed to glean in the fields.  There was to be no poor in the land (cf. Deut. 15:4).  But a welfare state whereby the state takes care of you from cradle to grave, called a "nanny state," was unknown in biblical times--people took responsibility for their own lives and fates.  The more rights we receive, the more obligations others have. Today only a small portion of all entitlement (20 percent) goes to the poor (actually less than 2 percent of the total budget) and most of it goes to Republican party members who own farms and other businesses that get a take. Partisans are talking about cutting entitlement, they are focused on food stamps or some other aid to the poor, not the upper classes.  Scripture condemns labor exploitation in Malachi 3:5 and warns against not giving him his due. The worker deserves his wages and the farmer ought to be the first to benefit form the fruit of his labor. The Greeks looked upon labor as a curse that was only fitting for slaves, but Martin Luther gave it dignity because all manner of labor, secular and sacred, can be done to the glory of God (cf. Col. 3:23). America has championed the Protestant work ethic since the days of Jamestown and Captain John Smith, who declared that if a man is unwilling to work he shouldn't eat, just like Paul told the Thessalonians in 2 Thess. 3:10. There is to be no "idle rich" or leisure class living in luxury that is unproductive or retired from engaging in the Lord's work, in which we never give up doing--doing the Lord's work with slackness is cursed (cf. Jer. 48:10).



The government has the divine right and obligation to assure equal treatment in the marketplace and that there is a fair and equitable exchange of goods and services, whereby no one takes advantage of or defrauds the consumer.  It respects the right of private property and its chief purpose is to maintain peace and safety and protection of personal property in the society.  There must be law and order in a land run by the rule of law for there to be opportunity to make the investment because of the ability to make a profit is not infringed on by an over-regulated economy.  We need as little government as possible, known as being against Big Government, and need to stop thinking that government is the solution to all our problems.  The more government, the less freedom and rights and more obligation to others.  There has to be a balanced trade-off because of the law of diminishing returns on interventionism by the bureaucracy, lest one system run amok.



However, the Christian is concerned for social justice and whether there is equity and opportunity for the poor.  "He judged the cause of the poor and needy; then it was well.  Is not this to know me?  declares the LORD?" (Jer. 22:16, ESV).  The prophet Amos decried the social injustice of his day and how "... They sell the innocent for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals"  (Amos 2:11, NIV).  John Wesley had the right attitude and motto:  "Make all you can, save all you can, give away all you can--this is good stewardship of God-given resources.  Never lose track of the fact that we own nothing, but are just stewards of God's gifts.  In sum, there is no "social gospel" that we are called to convert the world to, other than the Great Commission and making disciples of all nations, teaching them to observe all that Christ taught (including labor/management rights and responsibilities).
Soli Deo Gloria!

My Doctrine Of Work Ethic

"The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me"  (Acts 20:24, NCV).
"I have finished the work You have given me to do"  (cf. John 17:4).
"Cursed is he who does the work of the Lord with slackness" (cf. Jer 48:10).
"The Lord assigns each man's work" (John 3:27, NLT).
"[E]ach one's work will become manifest.," (1 Cor. 3:13, ESV).
"Rejoice in your labor; it's the gift of God" (cf. Eccl. 5:19).  
"A day of no work is a day of no eating."  --Zen monastic slogan  (No work is considered beneath the dignity and the "sanctity of manual work" is guarded in Zen and considered vital to life.)  

We are made to work, not for idleness, which can be debilitating and dehumanizing--even depressing.   Some wish they could live a life of leisure, play games forever, have all the entertainment their heart's desire, and amuse themselves to boredom, and thinking this is real R & R.  Life isn't made to be just fun and games (though they say girls just want to have fun) we are meant to find purpose and meaning and to set realistic, accountable, measurable, doable, achievable, responsible goals.  We only can recoup or rehabilitate our senses and we only need a recreational activity to restore us after work--no work means we don't need it, but everyone deserves a respite from his task or work--we're not beasts of burden!

We need a certain amount of rest, therefore the Sabbath commandment.  We can't be like the idle rich leading a life of nonproductive leisure.    We are not to indulge in leisure but earn it as a time to recoup!  Children are naturals at play and this is their calling or job description; however, God expects more maturity and responsibility from adults.

Whatever you find meaning and fulfillment in can be your calling. But remember that idle hands are the devil's workshop.  Whatever we find to do, we ought to do it with all our might and be gung-ho, having gusto and enthusiasm (which means putting God into it!). We all need to apply ourselves to whatever gifts and talents we are blessed with.

Once we've learned to work we will love work and not see it as a curse--even Jesus worked and Adam and Eve were given the task of horticulture in the Garden of Eden.  We are hard-wired for work and designed for it, only to be fulfilled doing it and accomplishing our mission. We are uniquely designed by God for His will and work.   Being ambitious for God or God's work is good but not for fame, power, or wearing ourselves out to get rich quick.  God blesses everyone in some ways, some in all ways; however, some even receive their reward or portion in this life--the evil do prosper sometimes our heavenly calling or job description doesn't define us but how we do it and the attitude we have does.

Brother Lawrence, a seventeenth-century monk in a monastery, practiced the presence of God even while doing the servile task of dishwashing for the Lord!  If a job is worth doing, it's worth doing well!  We all need to feel we have contributed to society and are not just takers.  Everyone should be productive in what they are called to do; however, we never retire from the Lord's work and will.

We may not get to do what we love, but that doesn't mean we cannot learn to love our work.  What some may need is a little motivation and this can be extrinsic like money, or intrinsic like awards or recognition and validation.  We all need to feel we make a difference and are there for a purpose besides making a living.  When we die we should be able to say, "Mission accomplished!" like Jesus said He had finished the work the Father had given Him.  We should always aim to do our best, not just the good-enough-for-government-work attitude.

Jesus raised the bar and set the highest ethical standard, but also gives us the highest incentive.   Perfection is the standard, direction the test--always room for improvement.  When the work culture is not improving it's dead and going nowhere we are not to become stagnant like the Dead Sea with no life because there's no growth or opportunity and space for it!

We should feel we are not just leaving our riches to our progeny but a legacy to society--what are we here for?  True holiness consists in doing God's work with the right attitude and we don't ever accomplish great tasks alone but only with God's help and with great love and the right attitude--if so, God will bless it and be in it.  God rewards His work and it's never in vain, so it pays to see yourself as doing it as unto the Lord as your motive.   No task is beneath us because Jesus took the towel to wash the feet of the disciple and when done in the name of God there is no menial task, only menial people.  We are not to feel we need to be a success, for God measures obedience and faithfulness.

Our achievements don't matter and are eventually surpassed, records broken, and tributes are forgotten, but God wants us and our obedience and He will surely give us a permanent reward for our labors in the Spirit--that's why it says in Scripture:  "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit." Attitude matters and counts with God! We are not to become performance-oriented and be like the condemned servants that prophesied in Jesus' name but He never knew them (cf. Matt. 7:21).

Our job is really a dress rehearsal for our future in heaven and preparation for eternity as to what kind of person we become.   We ought to show gusto, be gung-ho, and learn enthusiasm, which means putting God into it.  The trouble with most workers is they have taken God out of the equation and forgotten God the source of true attitude and Spirit.  What can happen is the reduction to the lowest common denominator when there's no supervision or discipline at the workplace.

In the final analysis, see work as therapeutic and we all need it, it's real therapy!  Without it, we become less human and don't fulfill our purpose as being in the image of God.  We are creatures not made for idleness or leisure but work!  Many people find this out when they retire and have too much time on their hands, becoming bored with themselves and end up unproductive and good for nothing.

We ought not to base our performance on our feelings but our faith and attitude, which need to get regular check-ups and examinations.  God is interested in the person we are becoming more than what we are achieving!  When we are called to something, it's a labor of love and we are completed in it.  In the final analysis, work is the expression of the glory of God and how we express His image as is inherent in our nature.  God works and there will be fulfilling, meaningful work in heaven.

Work can be enjoyable and fulfilling, not just have meaning and purpose.  We need to have an identity and realize it in finding God in our work and fulfilling our mission, for all ought to be people on a mission and champions for a cause.  Everyone ought to be in the movement to improve the culture at the workplace, called to a noble crusade:  Christians are held to a higher calling and standard and are to be the salt and light of the earth.

As an attitude check, who has the right one here?
"What are you doing?"   "I'm laying bricks!"  "I'm building a wall."  "I'm building a cathedral!"  Are you the best worker, part of the team, or on God's team?    The more idealistic our attitude and goals, the better our performance!  It's not just for the elite of society to become champions of causes and to be on a mission--we all can find recognition and reward from our labors of love.  ("For the people had a mind to work" --Nehemiah 4:6; "I am doing a great work so that I can not come down" --Neh.. 6:3) 

NB: WE MUST BE TEAM MEMBERS ON GOD'S TEAM AND TO BE MOST EFFECTIVE TOGETHER WE MUST NOT WORRY ABOUT WHO GETS THE CREDIT OR ATTENTION, BUT BE WILLING TO JUST PLAY OUR PART IN THE PLAY!    Soli Deo Gloria!

A Work Ethic

"Cursed is he who does the work of the Lord with slackness" (cf. Jer. 48:10).
".. 'I am engaged in a great work [project] so I can't come [down right now!].  Why should I stop working to come and meet with you?'" (Cf. Neh. 6:3, NLT). 
"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might..." (Eccl. 9:10, ESV).
"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" (Eph. 4:28, ESV).  
"In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty" (Prv. 14:23, ESV).

Work ethic has been called the Protestant work ethic for centuries.  In 1607 Captain John Smith of Jamestown announced that he who wouldn't work will not eat after the admonition in 2 Thess. 3:10.  It was Martin Luther who first brought dignity to work, for it had been considered a curse and fit for slaves by the classic philosophers.  All that mattered was whether one did it to the glory of God--it didn't matter the kind or manner of a work project.

During the Holocaust in a concentration camp at Dachau, the Nazis tried to entice the Jews to work by telling them "Arbeit Macht Frei" or that work makes one free--it was a sham to motivate.  The Germans had a number of wise proverbs including "Arbeit Ehrt" or work dignify; "Arbeit Macht das Leben Suss," or work makes life sweet.  Work is meant to be a blessing just like food and drink according to Eccl. 3:13.

By way of illustration:  There is one well-known anecdote of a man who asks three men at a stone quarry and asks them what they are doing:  one says, "Can't you see?  I'm cutting stones!" another says, "I'm earning 100 lbs a week!" and the last one has a divine viewpoint and says, "I'm building a cathedral!"  Our perspective on our tasks makes all the difference and take on a new light as a witness to the world!

Jesus said, "I have ... [completed] the work you gave me to do..." (cf. John 17:4)--what a sigh of relief!  Nehemiah said, "For the people had a mind to work." (Cf. Neh. 4:6)--God can give intrinsic as well as extrinsic motivation and incentive to work, "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord Almighty" (Cf. Zech. 4:6).   We are as inspired as our dreams and goals--aim high, not low--if you aim for nothing you will get nowhere.

We must all be willing to do humble work, in the so-called "order of the towel," as when Jesus took one to do the foot-washing in the Upper Room.  There is no caste system or class consciousness in Christ, as He leveled the playing field and made us all one in Christ, whether slave or free.

We must learn to do whatever we do with all our heart as unto the Lord, and to His glory, learning to love what we do, thus being a light to the world.  King George III said that we should aim not to do what we love but love what we do!   It's not wrong to take pride in one's vocation or work, for we will do our best and have extra motivation.  When we work, we are expressing God's image in us--work is no curse but part of God's plan and there will be work in heaven. 

It has been said that man is meant and "hard-wired for work" (according to Dr. Carl F. H. Henry), and cannot live without meaningful work or tasks to complete--we're not meant for idleness.  We must be wise to redeem the time for God, not wasting it (cf. Eph. 5:16).  Augustine of Hippo said, "to work is to pray!"  We all must learn to stay out of trouble, for idleness can be the devil's tool and workshop!  We are happiest when we are busy doing the Lord's work! Lack of stimulating work is debilitating--sloth (acedia) or idleness is one of the Seven Deadly Sins.

God does not call us to success but to faithfulness, according to Mother Teresa of Calcutta, recipient of the 1979 Nobel Peace Prize and now canonized.  The Bible condemns selfish ambition, but not godly pursuits.   Jer. 45:5 says, "Do you seek great things for yourself?  Seek them not."  Everyone has a niche and a calling with one or more talents to use for God.   We should never compare ourselves with others but seek faithfulness in our God-given chores, tasks, duties, and errands.   "Whatever our hand finds to do, do it with all our might," says Ecclesiastes 9:10.  

And Col. 1:10 equates work with faith and says to "bear fruit in every good work, increasing in the knowledge of God."  We all should hope to find a "labor of love" to complete God's will.  We may retire from our jobs, but not God's service!  In a sense, our job is our workbench of worship and a dress rehearsal for heaven.  Teddy Roosevelt said that there's never been a man who led a life of ease whose name was worth remembering.

One anecdote from St. Francis of Assisi is in order:  He was busy doing his gardening at the monastery and was asked what he'd do if he only had thirty minutes to live.  He said, "I'd finish this row!" O, that we all could die doing what we love--doing God's will and busy at the Lord's work!   He had a handle on his purpose and was ready to meet the Lord at any time.   In conclusion, ask yourself:  "Who are you working for?  The man, the union, or the Lord?  Are you a team player?  Do you seek excellence in the Lord's work? Do you go to work to worship and pray as well as work?    Soli Deo Gloria!

My Utmost For His Highest Or Work Ethic

"And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, in the law and in the commandment, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart.  So he prospered'  (2 Chron. 31:21, NKJV). 
"... [F]or they have wholly followed the LORD" (Numbers 32:12, KJV).
"...[F]or the people had a mind to work" (Nehemiah 4:6, NKJV).
"...I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease...?'" (Neh. 6:3, NKJV).  
"The best use of a life is to invest it in something that will outlast it."  (William James, Psychologist, and Humanist) 

If anything is worth doing, it's worth doing right!  Scripture admonishes us to do our work heartily as unto the Lord and not as people-pleasers (cf. Col. 3:23).  We don't brown-nose our way into God's graces and ingratiate God; we are willing servants, or bond-servants, and do everything in the name of the Lord (i.e., for His glory and according to His will).  Paul says in 1 Cor. 10:31 that whatsoever we do, it should be to the glory of God.

Work is our basic calling in life and it is not a curse, but a blessing and virtue to show us the nature of God at work through us, using us as vessels of honor.  We should enjoy our work for this reason, that it's a gift of God to give fulfillment--but don't let your identity be tied to your job, because jobs don't last, only purposes do!  We can never gain the approbation of God, but are forever in debt (i.e., we cannot pay Him back, because grace is something we don't deserve, cannot earn, and can never repay).  

John 3:27, NLT, says that "God appoints each man's work"--we all have a calling to fulfill and some of us are called into special ministries, but He anoints us for the task at hand.  Work is worship (anytime we offer ourselves to God's service!), and all work is dignified if done in the right spirit.  It's not what you do, according to Mother Teresa, but how much love you put into it!

We all have different gifts and the same Spirit decides which one (cf. 1 Cor. 12:11), not us, and it's for the benefit of the body at large, but we all should have the same Spirit anointing us as we are united in the Lord to do His work--primarily to complete the Great Commission.  God isn't looking for halfhearted followers or lukewarm believers, nor even timid workers who are afraid to "get down and dirty with mankind" or to do the dirty work of serving (remember Jesus and the order of the towel in the Upper Room!).

It was said of Joshua and Caleb that they wholly followed the Lord!  "The eyes of the LORD search the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him..." (2 Chronicles 16:9, NLT).  Caleb says upon entering Canaan:  "... For my part, I wholeheartedly followed the LORD my God..." (cf. Joshua 14:9, NLT).  We need Christians with spunk and gusto, who will hustle for the Lord with all their might!  It was also said of Pete Rose, who was called "Mr. Hustle!"

It is important to realize the gravity of serving the Lord, and we must take it seriously and not do a halfhearted job:  "Cursed are those who refuse to do the LORD's work..." (Jer. 48:10, NLT); "Cursed is he who does the work of the LORD, with slackness..." (Jer. 48:10, ESV).  God hates laziness and we must endeavor to always do our best and not slack off or grow lax in the faith, enduring to the end of the race set before us.  He who is given much; much will be expected of him:  "... Everyone to whom much was given, of him, much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more" (Luke 12:48, ESV).

We are never to play the let's compare game and commend ourselves with ourselves, for we all have different responsibilities and no one is in a position to judge us except our Lord (2 Cor. 10:12, ESV, says, "... But they are only comparing themselves with each other, using themselves as the standard of measurement.  How ignorant!"

They say that attitude determines altitude and we all have the freedom and ability to choose our attitude toward our work:  either enjoy what you are doing or learn how to in the Spirit; not everyone has the liberty to engage in what they enjoy naturally, but we can find meaning in menial work as Bro. Lawrence, the seventeenth-century, Carmelite monk, endeavored to do and wrote The Practice of the Presence of God to prove this reality and possibility.

To conclude with a verse and word to the wise:  "I replied, 'But my work seems so useless!  I have spent my strength for nothing and to no purpose. Yet I leave it all in the LORD's hand; I will trust God for my reward''  (Isaiah 49:4, NLT);   What's more, note:  FAITHFUL SERVANTS NEVER RETIRE FROM THE LORD'S WORK.
Soli Deo Gloria! 

A Great Work

 "... 'I am engaged in a great work so I can't come.  Why should I stop working to come and meet with you?'"  (Nehemiah 6:3, NLT). "... [Yes], establish the work of our hands!"  (Psalm 90:17, ESV). "[Also] that everyone should eat and drink and take pleasure in all his toil--this is God's gift to man"  (Eccl. 3:13, ESV).
"In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty"  (Prov. 14:23, ESV).
"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might..." (Eccl. 9:10, ESV).
"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"  (Eph. 4:28, ESV).

Do you see yourself as being assigned by God to do a "great work" just like Nehemiah did?  How you interpret your duty as a lot to say about your mission in life.  Do you have a mission statement as an individual?  We may have goals, which may or may not be accomplished, but we need a purpose in life to fulfill what God has called us to do.  Jobs don't last, but missions do!  I'm sure you've heard of the three bricklayers who were asked what they were doing:  One said he was laying bricks; another said he was making so-and-so much, but the one with divine viewpoint said he was building a cathedral.  Do you see yourself as a man on a mission?

St. Francis of Assisi was asked what he would do if he only had one hour to live: he'd finish the row he was gardening!  He knew what God wanted for him and was ready to meet his Maker.  Have you ever heard of Brother Lawrence, who was a monk in a Carmelite monastery in France in the seventeenth century?  He practiced the presence of God all day by keeping the dialogue open in prayer, no matter what his hands were doing, even washing dishes.

Nehemiah was a great motivator, who is chronicled as the man behind the rebuilding of the wall in Jerusalem in 52 days--a work of God!   He praised the people for their hard and dedicated work, and said, "the people had a mind to work"  (Neh. 4:6).  You could say, as the NLT does, that "they worked with enthusiasm." This is a problem today (even if we retire, we never retire from the Lord's work!), because the lazy are often rewarded equal to the hard-working, and the good-old-Protestant-work ethic is fading and people are not trying to see how much they can produce or contribute, but how much they can get or receive from society.

As a for instance, in 1607 Jamestown, Captain John Smith had a similar dilemma, where the so-called upper classes didn't see fit to work, and he quoted 2 Thess. 3:10, that says, "If a man doesn't want to work, he shall not eat."  We all have a duty to contribute to society, and no one is incapable of it, it is even possible for the disabled to do something, and make their mark on society.

God has blessed us with the pleasure of work, whereby we exhibit the image of God, for even Jesus worked and Adam did before the Fall.  We can find fulfillment in our work but must be careful not to make it our life--we need a work ethic, but we need a life too!   Solomon said that your work and your food and drink are blessings from God and we are meant to enjoy them (cf. Eccl. 3:13).  It seems unfair to work all your life and have your fortune left to others, but you must not see yourself as serving mammon, but God, not building a kingdom, but being in one!

Your purpose will last on after death, no matter who gets the fruits, and the most important thing you can leave is a legacy, not money--something bigger than you because it isn't all about you.  It is more important to have an impact and be somebody that God uses than to be a nobody with riches.  Einstein said that we shouldn't strive to be a success but to be persons of value.  I will mention in passing the wise words of Mother Teresa (now canonized):  "God doesn't call us to success, but to faithfulness."

A good work ethic entails doing our best, as unto the Lord (cf. Col. 3:17, 23) and finding the work God wants for us; for we are all called to and designed for something--don't make your God out to be too small, but bigger than your tasks, seeing divine purpose in everything ("Whatsoever you do...").  We are not called to be workaholics, but to do what God has assigned and to finish that work, just as Jesus said, "I have finished the work thou has given me to do"  (cf. John 17:4).  Some people try to get away with as little as possible and only work for themselves.  Actually, the greater we are, the more people we serve, not how many serve us.  We are to get the servant's heart and orientate ourselves to being God's slave and bond-servant.

It is key to have the mindset of Christ's servant or what Paul said in Romans 15:18 (NIV): "I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me...."   (The NKJV says, "For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ has not accomplished through me....")   In the same vein or framework of mind and viewpoint Isaiah said, "All that we have done, you have accomplished through us"  (cf. Isaiah 26:12).  We are only vessels of honor being used by God and God will reward what He does through us!

In conclusion, let me demonstrate how orientation affects you:  Remember the song:  "I'm working for the man...."  To illustrate:  One athlete said he was a team player; another that he was the best on the team; another that he was on God's team!  Are you God's dishwasher, a member of the union, or only the best dishwasher, as it were?  Be God's man doing His work! We are not just called to pursue a job, but to labor in the name of the Lord, doing His divine work, according to our ability.   We are all laborers harvesting in the Lord's fields.   Soli Deo Gloria!    

Work Ethic

 "[T]hat the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work"  (2 Tim. 3:17, ESV).
"[E]ach one's work will become manifest..." (1 Cor. 3:13, ESV).
"For God is not so unjust as to overlook your work and the love that you showed for his sake in serving the saints, as you still do"  (Heb. 6:10, ESV).
"...bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God"  (Col. 1:10, ESV).
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest"  (Matt. 11:28, ESV).

Jesus said that He had "accomplished the work that [God] gave [him] to do" (cf. John 17:4, ESV). We are all here for a purpose, we are not to just take up space without purpose, but part of our dignity from being in the image of God is to find meaning in work. This begs the question:  Are we living or merely existing?  We don't work for work's sake, as if we are workaholics, but to glorify God--Augustine said that to work is to worship!  Martin Luther first brought dignity to manual labor when he said it could be done to the glory of God--previously it had been held in contempt.  When we fulfill the purpose God has for us we are headed to glory as David had fulfilled all the will of God and when he had fulfilled God's purpose he was laid to rest in peace (cf. Acts 13:36).

 Man is hard-wired for work and is not meant for idleness, which can destroy his soul (cf. Neh. 6:3, NLT:  "...'I am engaged in a great work...'").  We have a need for meaningful work, and also to glorify God in it.  Jesus knew what hard work was and how to get down and dirty with the men.  When he took off his cloak and got a towel to wash the disciples' feet, this was a chore only fit for non-Jewish slaves.  But the true message is that we should never think some task or chore is beneath our dignity, honor, or status.  We need to be ambitious, but not in a selfish manner.  Cursed is the one who is slack in the Lord's work (cf. Ezekiel 48:10).  The work ethic is largely the result of Protestantism and it can be clearly seen in Scripture.

Note the Jews in Nehemiah, who "had a mind to work!" (Cf. Nehemiah 4:6).  In other words, they worked with enthusiasm or spunk!  Actually, enthusiasm means to put God into something--how fitting a word!  Just like our spiritual gifts, in that we should not get elitist and think we have a superior gift, but stay humble and faithful to our God-given assignment in the Lord, so we are not to look down on any laborer whose work is done in the name of the Lord.  Paul says in 2 Thessalonians 3:10 that if we are unwilling to work or don't have time for it, we shouldn't eat either.  This verse was quoted by Captain John Smith in Jamestown, our first permanent settlement in America by the British.

Sometimes it seems there is nothing to do, but there is always the Lord's work and Ecclesiastes says it bluntly:  "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might..." (Eccl. 9:10, ESV). In doing your work, it's paramount that you have the right mindset, that you're doing it to the glory of God.  Three workers were asked what they were doing:  The first said he was laying bricks; the second that he was earning so much an hour; the third said he was building a cathedral!  Now, don't you see that if you see things clearly with God's viewpoint you can find purpose and meaning in any task? Also note:  Brother Lawrence, known for his book, The Practice of the Presence of God, writes that he can communicate with God no matter what his chore is, even while washing dishes he multi-tasked and kept his communication channel or dialogue with God going and open.

Even in mental health facilities, they have "work therapy" to give purpose, meaning, and fulfillment to patients and to gauge their progress towards therapeutic mental hygiene.  Note:  We never really retire from the Lord's work and should always be ready to do His bidding and will; the reason so many feel bored after retirement is that they never equated the two (God's will and work for us that is bigger than our lives).  In other words, we should invest our life in something that will outlast it and set our goals so that we can serve God no matter what happens.

To sum up, all work can be done to glorify God (cf. Col. 3:17,23) and we can enter into God's labor and enjoy His food or find fulfillment, i.e., to do the will of God as we accomplish His work (cf. John 4:34), as nothing we do for the Lord will be in vain, but be rewarded. God gave the work order to Adam and Eve to till the garden; therefore work is no curse.  We reflect God's glory in our work, and so Haggai 2:4 exhorts us to "work" for God is with us!   Soli Deo Gloria! 

Getting Down And Dirty

"God in heaven appoints each man's work" (cf. John 3:27, NLT).

Some of us aren't willing to do the dirty work that we see is beneath us, and this was so in Jesus' day when He draped a towel and washed the disciples' feet, a task fit only for non-Jewish slaves.  Peter objected and didn't think the Lord should stoop so low, but that's what grace is:  " Donald Grey Barnhouse said, "Love that goes upward is worship; love that goes outward is affection; love that stoops is grace."  We must learn to relate to God's agape or unconditional love.

There are many dirty jobs few people are willing to do, and that's probably why they pay a lot:  for example, the proctologist.  I wouldn't do certain jobs for all the money in the world, like being a male nurse, because I don't have it in me to be that gracious and willing to work with people's physical problems.  This is why we all need each other:  we are all suited to different work and have different talents and we need to be willing to go where no one is willing to go.  God hasn't given up on them because no one is too bad to be saved; we're all totally depraved and as far from redemption as can be without the grace of God.  

I like to call this humble work "the order of the towel" like when Jesus did the foot-washing of the disciples.   We need to be like Mother Teresa of Calcutta, now canonized, who went among the untouchables caste of India, who had been written off as beyond redemption.  The right attitude is that of George Whitefield, who saw a man go to the gallows and remarked:  "There but for the grace of God, go I." Again, I call this the order of the towel when we stoop to do God's work and don't think anything is beneath us.

A mother who changes diapers knows what love is: it's not necessarily a feeling but an act as we demonstrate it by our deeds.  This is what discipleship is about:  going where God calls us and doing what God calls us to do.  Just like dung has fertilizing power, so Christians who get down and dirty have fertilizing power in the world, as they show Christ's love to the world.  Just like there are dirty jobs that no one wants to do, but need to get done, so believers need to realize that they must be willing to get down and dirty with mankind.  Whenever God gives you the challenge to humble yourself or eat your humble pie, rise to the occasion!

The world owes Christianity for the rise of hospitals, leprosariums, orphanages, relief organizations, and schools because the other religions failed to see the mission to reach out to the needy as Christians did.  We must see ourselves as servants:  "For even the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life--a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45, HCSB).   We may have to be willing to stoop to save others:  "save others by snatching them from the fire; on others have mercy in fear, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh."

We must be aware that "bad company corrupts good morals" (cf. 1 Cor. 15:33) and pick our friends wisely, but that doesn't mean we have to be afraid of any social contact as if we could be contaminated by fellowship--we'd have to go out of the world to avoid sinners altogether.
Soli Deo Gloria!

Finding Our Calling

The following verses are pertinent to finding God's will for your life:

"One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much..."  (Luke 16:10, ESV).

"... Well done, thou good and faithful servant..."  (cf. Luke 19:17, KJV).

"Therefore, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is"  (Eph. 5:17, ESV). 

"For I know the plans I have for you, ' declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future"  (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV). 

"It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for.  Long before we first heard of Christ, ... he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone"  (Ephesians 1:11, The Message).

"For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, ... everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him" (Colossians 1:16, The Message). 

"Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established" (Proverbs 16:3, ESV).

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death"  (Proverbs 16:18, ESV).

"Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand"  (Proverbs 19:21, ESV).  

"Unless you assume a God, the question of life's purpose is meaningless."  (Bertrand Russell, mathematician, philosopher, atheist, author of the famed book, Why I Am Not A Christian).


God has uniquely gifted everyone for the ability to know His will, but it isn't an automatic given to know it, though Acts 22:14 says it has been granted Paul to know His will.  We must search for it and be willing to do it or we will never know it.  "If any man wills to do His will..." (cf. John 7:17).   Obedience and willingness are provisos to finding out God's plan.  If we are not obedient in what He has revealed, we will not be given more light.  Most people blindly go through life, the blind leading the blind, and never find their true calling--they exist, but don't live. We are meant to live for something bigger than ourselves and for something that will outlast our lives--every chord we play strikes some note that will vibrate throughout eternity, but some of us march to the beat of a different drum than the light of Scripture.  "When a man's folly brings his way to ruin, his heart rages against the LORD" (Proverbs 19:3).  Man ruins his life, then blames God, or he is a success and congratulates himself!

This life is but a dress rehearsal and a tryout for the real thing in heaven, or a stage set for eternity, and we are meant to find out what we are here for. People who don't know their purpose attempt too much! Attempt great things for God, and expect greater things from God!  The Bible is our Owner's Manual and has everything we need to know for fulfillment in life!   Many people live as if they will never die, and die as if they never lived, and don't find purpose until their later years!  What a pity that the common man sees nothing more to live for than the Epicurean philosophy of "eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die" (cf. Isaiah 22:13) school of thought.  We are not to live just in the "here and now," but in "light of eternity," and "it ought to be the business of every day to prepare for our final day," according to commentator Matthew Henry.  We have the ability to see and expect the future, but with that comes the downside or drawback of being capable of worry.  We should never live in the past of regret, nor in the future of worry (paying dividends on bills we don't owe): These are the two thieves of our time and when we don't live life to the fullest it is usually this to blame.

Now, most people never even find out what they are good at, much less, their true calling in life: "God in heaven appoints each man's work" (John 3:27, NLT).  It is often said: "You missed your calling" with tongue-in-cheek.  The best we can hope for in life is to find out His will and plan for our lives, and it is never too late for God's best--He is in the business of changing lives and transforming them into the image of Christ. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come" (2 Cor. 5:17, ESV). Christ is still in the resurrection business and can change our lives from the inside out--we don't just turn over a new leaf, but start afresh with Jesus in charge--we are changed from the inside out.

There is no greater joy, than in doing the Lord's work, but there is a curse on anyone who is slack in doing it (cf. Jeremiah 48:10).  The happiest people, it has been put, are those who are too busy trying to meet other's needs and make them happy, that they don't have time to worry about their own.  The sure recipe of a wasted life is to live it for yourself--get your eyes off yourself and live for God's will, whatever the calling--there are many callings, but the same Spirit (and that's what counts!).

Many people experience a dramatic conversion and their whole life turns around or heads in a new direction after finding Christ:  Look at how prison radicalized the life of Chuck Colson (dirty-tricks and hatchet man for Pres. Nixon, turned philosophical apologist for the faith), for instance! God puts us through the fires of adversity to make us better people, and no one is exempt, not even Christ exempted Himself. Our crosses pale in comparison to His and we should be aware that adversity, trials, sufferings, discipline, and misfortune happen to all of us and are meant for our good, and Christ can turn even the most diabolical atrocity into something good:  "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good" (cf. Gen. 50:20). God orchestrates all events, even historically, and never loses control of His Plan. (Romans 8:28, ESV says:  "And we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good....")  We can do nothing to thwart His intentions and make God resort to a Plan B.

The most important link to finding God's will is seizing the day (going for it!), or carpe diem, or seeking God's will and recognizing it when you see it in the light of Scripture.  God will open doors, we just have to be ready to step into His will (cf. Isaiah 22:22).  When God opens a door, the impossible can become possible, because all things are possible with God (cf. Luke 1:37).  When I first became a believer, I didn't understand why my brothers in the Lord were so concerned about what God's will was:  "What would Jesus do?"  As we mature we have a greater desire to please God and live for Him and His glory: "The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever" (cf. The Westminster Shorter Catechism, ca. 1646).  "[E]veryone] who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made"  (Isaiah 43:7, ESV).  We must learn to live for Christ and not ourselves, to please others, not ourselves!

How do you know that you were not "born for such a time as this?" (Cf. Esther 4:14).  Living on purpose is the only way to live, says Rick Warren, and life makes no sense without purpose.  Life is an intricate plan of God and we are to fit into God's plans, not ask Him to fit into our plans! This is the origin of the Protestant work ethic.  When we are engaged and engrossed in God's work everything else is put into the right perspective:  "... I am doing great work, so I cannot come down..." (Nehemiah 6:3, KJV).  Motivation is primed by the right orientation:  "... [F]or the people had a mind to work" (Nehemiah 4:6, NKJV).  We want to be like Jesus at the end of our lives and be able to confess:  "... I have finished the work which You have given Me to do"  (John 17:4, NKJV).  MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!   Soli Deo Gloria!