Today’s thought “Bible Tip for Life: Work Hard!” (November 20)

The Bible gives many practical suggestions that can help your life now. One such advice is to work hard.

Paul went around the world preaching about Jesus and God’s plan with the earth but stressed that he continued to work so that he did not burden other people with feeding him. In 2 Thessalonians 3:10 he says that if anybody wants to eat, they need to work. It is important that, if capable, everyone actively works to provide food for themselves and their families.

In the law of Moses (Leviticus 19:9), God put in place a law that told the Israelites to not harvest the entirety of their grain or grapes. This was so that poor people and foreigners could work too by harvesting the remaining food to feed themselves. It is important not to just work, though, but also to work to the best of our ability. In Proverbs 18:9 we are told that being lazy at work is like being someone who destroys things.

Solomon urged people to do everything with all their might because there is no work in the grave (Ecclesiastes 9:10). We only have the chance while we living so we should do our best. The Bible also teaches us to act as if we were working for Jesus or God. If they were our bosses, would we act any differently?

In many of his letters Paul urges servants to obey their masters, and to do everything ‘heartily’, as if they were serving Jesus, not just to look good to their master (Colossians 3:22 –23). He also stressed to the Christians in his day that they needed to have the same attitude toward their boss if they were Christian and not rely on their shared faith to be slack at work (I Timothy 6:2). We need to keep these things in mind with how we act towards our bosses and ensure that we do what our bosses ask us to do as well as we can. And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3:23 –24)

Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:which having no guide, overseer, or ruler,provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest.(Proverbs 6:5–8)