A BIBLICAL GUIDE TO THE EMPLOYER-EMPLOYEE RELATIONSHIP
A BIBLICAL GUIDE TO THE EMPLOYER-EMPLOYEE RELATIONSHIP
by Becky L. Wall
Some may think the Bible has little or nothing to say about the employer-employee relationship but, in fact, it has plenty to say. It is a matter of substituting the word “master” with the word “employer” or “boss” and substituting the word “servant” or “slave” with the word “employee.” Some verses already use the word “workers” so no substitution is needed there. The Bible addresses such issues as: What should be the expectations of both the employer and employee? What constitutes a ruthless boss or “taskmaster?” What makes for a lazy or insubordinate employee? What wages should be paid to employees? What attitude should bosses have toward workers and vice versa. Most importantly, should God be a part of the work force as the ultimate CEO. For the most part I will let the scriptures speak for themselves.
There are those bosses who think of their employees as nothing but work machines or robots. They put unfair work burdens on their employees. They may not consider that he has a family at home. Bosses may cut or freeze the workers' oppressive wages so they, the employers, don’t have to give up any of their own income when times become less profitable. There are employees who greatly dislike taking orders and who resent those in higher positions. There will always be employees who bad-mouth their superiors, and other employees will “brown-nose” or try to get in good with the boss to get special favors or recognition. There is fault on both sides.
I was surprised when I read the following verse because of the reason it gives for working: Ephesians 4:28: “He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.” Obviously this isn’t the only reason a person works but sharing with those in need was emphasized.
Work Week
Our normal full-time workweek is 5 days or 40 hours. That is not an issue since the Bible allows for six days of labor. The Lord is more concerned with the “day of rest” being devoted to Him than the number of hours a person works. (I’m not suggesting that it is not important to spend time with the spouse and kids.) That day of rest is also essential to good health. Even crops need to rest. That’s why some farmers rotate crops and leave a field unplanted every 7 years. Workers too are more productive after they have had a day of rest. They will have better attitudes also.
- Exodus 20:9,11b - "Six days you shall labor, and do all your work… For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy."
- Exodus 34:21 - (ESV Bible) - "Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest. In plowing time and in harvest you shall rest.
- Deuteronomy 5:13-14 - "Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor the alien within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest, as you do."
Wages
Leviticus 19:13 - “...Do not hold back the wages of a hired man overnight.” There should be a set time for payment. If a man only works a day, he should be paid at the end of the day. Withholding payment, even for a time, puts a great burden on a worker. This verse shows great consideration for the worker. If payment is withheld just to lessen the bookwork or for the employer to gain interest on the worker’s wages, then that is not showing consideration for the worker and is self-centered. Any interest gained on the worker’s withheld wages is ill-gotten gain.
Nehemiah 5:7: “I pondered them in my mind and then accused the nobles and officials. I told them, ‘You are exacting usury from your own countrymen!'” Usury is unreasonably high interest rates. Substitute the words “nobles” and “officials” with the words “businessmen” and “government officials.” The principle is the same. These are the days of unreasonably high interest rates imposed by unscrupulous people who in the past were considered “loan sharks.” And then there are the high fees attached whenever for whatever. It is often the poor who have to pay the high interest rates and fees. No mercy is shown to anyone no matter how desperate their circumstances. This practice falls into the category of oppression. At least these legal loan sharks don’t bust knees for late payment or to force a payment.
Malachi 3:5 - "So I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against… those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice…"
Matthew 20:1-14 - "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' So they went. He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing. About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, 'Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?' 'Because no one has hired us,' they answered. He said to them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard.' "When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.' The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 'These men who were hired last worked only one hour,' they said, 'and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.' But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?' ”
Our first thought may be the unfairness to the ones who labored more. Though this parable has a spiritual meaning, the principle being explained in the parable applies to an earthly situation also. We should be content with the wages we agreed upon and not begrudge other workers for getting the same amount, though they did less. The owner can do as he pleases with his money and it is not for us to question how he chooses to spend it.
Should a preacher or evangelist deserve a salary for serving the Lord considering we are all supposed to serve Him? Luke 10:1-7 indicates they should. The last verse is the key verse in this instance. "After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. He told them, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.' When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.' If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages.”
The disciples may or may not have received a cash wage in the homes they visited, but the custom of the people who were hospitable enough to receive them was to "roll out the red carpet," so to speak. They butchered the best cow and provided the disciples with whatever they needed to continue their journey.
Romans 4:4 - “Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation.” No employer should make the worker feel that he received his pay out of the goodness of the employer's heart and that the employee should therefore be grateful to him. Yes, every employee should be grateful to have a job but it isn't for the employer to rub it in. After all, the employee did work for his pay which in turn put money in the employer's pocket. Maybe they should thank each other.
James 5:4-5 - “Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence.”
How many employers do we see around us living in luxury and self-indulgence while their employees and their families suffer because of low wages, which equals oppression. That is not capitalism; that is greed. Keep in mind, also, that their social security income will depend on the amount of their wages. If their wages were constantly low, they will receive a low social security payment. They are doomed to a lifetime of poverty.
I Timothy 5:17-18 - “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, ‘Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain,’ and ‘The worker deserves his wages.’ ” These verses make it clear that full-time preachers and teachers are to be paid. Though Paul refused an income, he made it clear that preachers deserve one.
Deuteronomy 24:14 - "Do not take advantage of a hired man who is poor and needy, whether he is a brother Israelite or an alien living in one of your towns. Pay him his wages each day before sunset, because he is poor and is counting on it."
Take God to Work or Leave Him at Home?
Psalm 127:1-2 - “Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat…” Of course we see ungodly people who build fine houses and run great cities, but time brings punishment if that becomes the way of the land.
Psalm 90:17 - "May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us-- yes, establish the work of our hands." We get our very being from God. He wants to be in every aspect of our lives. He is a jealous God and does not like other gods being brought into a nation that once served Him and only Him. Businesses, government and schools have all brought other gods into their workplaces and have even shown these other gods more respect than the Christian God this country served from its beginning.
Attitude at Work: Don’t Have One; Be Content
I Timothy 6:6 - “But godliness with contentment is great gain. or we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that."
I Corinthians 4:12 - “We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it. . . ”
I Thessalonians 4:11 - “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands . . . ”
Eccl. 4:8 - “There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. ‘For whom am I toiling,’ he asked, ‘and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?’ This too is meaningless-- a miserable business!”
Solomon was obviously depressed when he wrote the first part of Ecclesiastes but he is right in saying that wealth does not bring contentment (It does help misery). Working long hours just to increase wealth leaves no time to enjoy life and it ruins relationships.
Reasonable Boss or Taskmaster?
Exodus 3: 7 - "Then the LORD said, "I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings…"
Nehemiah 5:18 - "Each day one ox, six choice sheep and some poultry were prepared for me, and every ten days an abundant supply of wine of all kinds. In spite of all this, I never demanded the food allotted to the governor, because the demands were heavy on these people." As governor, Nehemiah was compassionate toward the people who were helping him rebuild the walls of the temple. Unlike the governors before him, he did not live with abundance while they did without or with little. Nehemiah was a boss who cared about the welfare of his helpers.
Leviticus 25:53b - "He is to be treated as a man hired from year to year; you must see to it that his owner does not rule over him ruthlessly." This verse speaks of a slave. The main point is to not treat the slave ruthlessly but with the respect of a hired hand, a seasonal worker that returns every year.
Job 24:1-12 - "Why does the Almighty not set times for judgment? Why must those who know him look in vain for such days? Men move boundary stones; they pasture flocks they have stolen. They drive away the orphan's donkey and take the widow's ox in pledge. They thrust the needy from the path and force all the poor of the land into hiding. Like wild donkeys in the desert, the poor go about their labor of foraging food; the wasteland provides food for their children. They gather fodder in the fields and glean in the vineyards of the wicked. Lacking clothes, they spend the night naked; they have nothing to cover themselves in the cold. They are drenched by mountain rains and hug the rocks for lack of shelter. The fatherless child is snatched from the breast; the infant of the poor is seized for a debt. Lacking clothes, they go about naked; they carry the sheaves, but still go hungry. They crush olives among the terraces; they tread the winepresses, yet suffer thirst. The groans of the dying rise from the city, and the souls of the wounded cry out for help. But God charges no one with wrongdoing." (Not yet.) "There are those who rebel against the light, who do not know its ways or stay in its paths. When daylight is gone, the murderer rises up and kills the poor and needy; in the night he steals forth like a thief.” The corrupt oppress the poor. The poor suffer on every level. They work hard to provide for themselves and their families but it is futile because of evil people.
Job 31:13-15 - “If I have denied justice to any of my servants, whether male or female, when they had a grievance against me, what will I do when God confronts me? What will I answer when called to account? Did not he who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same one form us both within our mothers?"
Isaiah 58:3-10 - "Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers. Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high…" "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-- when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?… Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.”
Ephesians 6:9 - "And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him."
Colossians 4:1 - "Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven."
James 5:1-3 - “Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.”
I Timothy 6:9-10 - "People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."
Proverbs 18:23 - "A poor man pleads for mercy, but a rich man answers harshly." If an underpaid poor worker asks for a raise, do not answer him harshly. Not all employers are rich but as profits increase, so should the wages of a worker. Through his labor and the boss’s business savvy, they have increased the profits as a team effort.
Matthew 18:32-33 - “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ ” A boss should treat a worker with the same mercy he would want to be shown by his superiors or overseers.
Proverbs 22:16-21 - “And he told them this parable: ‘The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, ‘You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.’ ’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
When God blesses a person with riches, thinking of the needs of others will help ward off the greed monster for he is most dangerous when the person makes his wealth all about himself.
Ephesians 6:9 - “And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.”
Show Respect for and Obey a Boss
Matthew 10:24 - “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master.” John 13:16 “Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master… ” As an employee, know your place.
Malachi 1:6 - "A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?" says the LORD Almighty.” The Lord is making a point about respecting Him but he says it in a way that it is a given or it is understood that a servant/worker honors his master/boss.
Ephesians 6: 5-8 - “Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.”
I Timothy 6:1-2 - “All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God's name and our teaching may not be slandered. Those who have believing masters are not to show less respect for them because they are brothers. Instead, they are to serve them even better, because those who benefit from their service are believers, and dear to them.”
Titus 2:9-10 - “Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.” Substitute “worker” for “slave” and “boss” for “master.” Talking back to a boss in a disrespectful way would be considered insubordination and does not set a good Christian example. Stealing items from workplaces has become a common problem. If someone else paid for an item and if that person had every intention of keeping the item, then to take it would be robbery. A worker who has earned the trust of his boss is a great Christian example. A boss would be more apt to listen to what a trustworthy worker has to say and to believe it or consider it worthy of more thought.
I Peter 2:17-18 - “Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king. Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.”
“Proper respect” means the respect that is culturally due the person, whether it be a handshake or a kiss on the cheeks. “Proper respect” also means knowing your place as a subordinate, knowing when to speak and not to speak, obedience, and when in front of others, responding to the boss or employer in a way that shows honor. Never embarrass your superior. Speak well of him/her or say nothing at all.
I Corinthians 4:12 - “We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it…”
Matthew 24:45-50 - “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of.” This reminds me of the saying “When the cat’s away the mice will play.” In this case the mouse got caught.
John 15:15a - “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business… ”
Speaking of how to treat a king, your superior:
Eccl. 8:5-6 - Whoever obeys his command will come to no harm, and the wise heart will know the proper time and procedure (to question a king's decision). For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter, though a person may be weighed down by misery."
(Substitute "boss" for "king.")
Eccl. 10:20 - "Do not revile the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird in the sky may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say" which reminds me of the saying "A little birdie told me so." Best to keep any negative thoughts about the boss or co-workers to yourself.
The Poor Worker’s Dilemma
Ecclesiastes 5:8 - “If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still.” This verse may not be talking about the workplace but the principle is the same. The poor worker is in a bottom position. In many cases every superior has a superior, one higher than him, and on up the ladder. Solomon is talking about the wrongs he has observed.
Depend on God, Do Not Turn Away From Him
Psalm 107:8-13 - “Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. Some sat in darkness and the deepest gloom, prisoners suffering in iron chains, for they had rebelled against the words of God and despised the counsel of the Most High. So he subjected them to bitter labor; they stumbled, and there was no one to help. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.”
Psalm 127:1-2 “Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat…”
Of course we see ungodly people who build fine houses, have profitable businesses and run great cities, but time brings punishment if that becomes the way of the land.
Haggai 1:6-11 - You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it." This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored," says the LORD. "You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?" declares the LORD Almighty. ‘Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house. Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the oil and whatever the ground produces, on men and cattle, and on the labor of your hands."
A Warning and a Gift
Proverbs 5:8-10 - "Keep to a path far from her, do not go near the door of her house, lest you give your best strength to others and your years to one who is cruel, lest strangers feast on your wealth and your toil enrich another man's house."
Eccl. 3:12-13 - “I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live and also that everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil--this is the gift of God.”
The Sluggard
The following verses may have a spiritual meaning but the principles are the same on the job.
I Thessalonians 5:14 - “And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.” II Thessalonians 3:11 - “We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies.” If a person is observed slacking off on the job, that person is to be warned that his/her job depends on staying busy. Proverbs 21:25 - “The sluggard's craving will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work.”
Proverbs 6:6-11 - “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest--and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.” Obviously there is a lot to be learned from an ant. I was so fascinated by the ant metaphor that I wrote a poem called “Consider the Ant, You Sluggard.” I incorporated phrases from scripture verses other than these that describe a lazy man.
Prov. 18:9 - "One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys."
Matthew 25:14-29 - “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.” Don’t be lazy. In business a profit must be produced. A worker for God's kingdom must not shirk his work making fishers of men.
Work Tithes
Help the poor and alien (not ones from outer space) any way you can within your profession. In this way you are tithing your time and resources, though not to the exclusion of your monetary tithes. These verses may spark a controversy as to whether to help the illegal aliens. I can only say that there are verses that tell us to obey the authorities. See Romans 13:1 and Titus 3:1.
I Thessalonians 2:9 - “Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.” Paul and his fellow preachers donated their full time and efforts – not just a portion. They worked jobs in order to do so.
Deuteronomy 24:19 - “When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.” The principle here is that employers are to consider the less fortunate when operating a business.
Leviticus 19:10 - “Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God”
Leviticus 23: 22 - "When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God."
Solomon Addresses the Subject of Labor
Solomon meditates on the subject of labor in the book of Ecclesiastes, and it is apparent that he is in turmoil. Even though he had everything life had to offer, he seems to be depressed. He struggles to understand the role of labor in life. He is disheartened by the emptiness it brings. In the end he sees that labor does have some value, but that value is not in the material things that money can buy.
This is how he begins: “I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.” (Eccl. 2:10-11)
A few verses later he continues his lament by saying, “So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless. A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without HIM, who can eat or find enjoyment?” (Eccl 2:20-25)
Solomon makes a profound statement in the 4th chapter where he says in the 4th verse, “And I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man's envy of his neighbor.” Today we call that “keeping up with the Joneses.” People make excuses to explain why they work longer hours than necessary, and the truth is that they want things and they want their kids to have the latest gadgets or toys. They may want others to be impressed or they may want no less than their neighbor or friend or family member or whoever they hold in high regard materialistically. Another way of saying that is “whoever they envy.”
Verse 6 is where he surmises his finding: “Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.” We would be wise to come to the same conclusion. The stress that chasing the dollar brings cancels out any happiness that it brings.
Solomon builds on his reflections in Chapter 6, verse 2: “God gives a man wealth, possessions and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires, but God does not enable him to enjoy them, and a stranger enjoys them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil.”
God gives possessions to each person, but God does not intend for the possessions to provide fulfillment in a person’s life, for they are not what is most important. Material possessions cannot fill the void that a relationship with God and others should fill. Those possessions eventually begin to rule their lives, for they must be maintained. The person becomes a slave to things. And you can't take them with you when you go.
Some people spend their earnings on their addiction of choice and this too pulls them away from the family. Man cannot serve both money – or the things money can buy -- and God.
This is the conclusion Solomon came to in the book of Ecclesiastes: "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil."
My Comments:
There is no scripture to back up the following statements; they are merely my opinions, observations and experiences:
When a person takes a new job, one of the first things that happens is that they are given a Job Description on paper. The employer's expectations should be on that Job Description so there is no confusion as to who does what in the work pool. In addition to the Job Description, the worker should have in writing the amount they will get paid, how long they will be on probation, when they can expect raises, vacation days, holidays, sick days, the rank of superiors, fringe benefits, etc. How insurance works should also at least be discussed, especially if using it often might affect their job. The amount of severance pay should also be stated. When considering severance pay, should vacation days be included in the severance pay (in other words lost) or are they in addition to severance pay.The more that is put down in writing, the less confusion there will be should a question arise. If an entity such as a church or non-profit organization doesn't pay into workmen's compensation, that should be made known during the interview.
The person should be well trained. There are times when the bosses assume the new employee is being adequately trained and they are not.
Superiors should not give the duties of a trainee to a person who has been there longer just to save time. If a person is hired for a certain job, they should be allowed to perform the duties of the position, not by-passed. Learning through experience leads to better production.
When and if a board does the hiring, or if even two superiors do the hiring, if there is a conflict over who to hire, do not hire anyone until everyone is in agreement. Otherwise the one on the hiring committee who didn't get his way will look for fault in the new employee and the new employee won't have a clue why they can't seem to do anything right in that superior's eyes. Also, those who don't agree with who was hired will cause a negative undercurrent. The job candidate should think twice about accepting a job where everyone is not in agreement that he should be hired.
Should a problem arise, discuss the problem with the employee and give that employee a chance to explain their actions. There may be more to the story than what appears.
There are backbiters in almost every workplace. Don't let them ruin the morale of the workplace. Explain to them the consequences of their actions if they do not cease to bring down morale.
If a worker sees dishonesty occurring in the workplace, or if married employees are seen getting too chummy, it is best to discuss the situation with a superior only. There may be a time when it is the superior who is involved.This is a real tricky situation that must be carefully thought out and backed up with facts. Don't gossip with other workers. The worker should keep in mind that he or she could lose his or her position for exposing the situation. Again, things aren't always as they appear. Be tactful, be factual and be merciful.
Encourage other workers. The Bible teaches us to be encouraging. People are hesitant to be encouraging for fear the person will get the big head but more often than not the person is wondering if they are measuring up to expectations. Everyone likes to know they are doing a good job.
Malachi 3:5 - "So I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against… those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice…"
Matthew 20:1-14 - "For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire men to work in his vineyard. He agreed to pay them a denarius for the day and sent them into his vineyard. About the third hour he went out and saw others standing in the marketplace doing nothing. He told them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' So they went. He went out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour and did the same thing. About the eleventh hour he went out and found still others standing around. He asked them, 'Why have you been standing here all day long doing nothing?' 'Because no one has hired us,' they answered. He said to them, 'You also go and work in my vineyard.' "When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Call the workers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last ones hired and going on to the first.' The workers who were hired about the eleventh hour came and each received a denarius. So when those came who were hired first, they expected to receive more. But each one of them also received a denarius. When they received it, they began to grumble against the landowner. 'These men who were hired last worked only one hour,' they said, 'and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work and the heat of the day.' But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?' ”
Our first thought may be the unfairness to the ones who labored more. Though this parable has a spiritual meaning, the principle being explained in the parable applies to an earthly situation also. We should be content with the wages we agreed upon and not begrudge other workers for getting the same amount, though they did less. The owner can do as he pleases with his money and it is not for us to question how he chooses to spend it.
Should a preacher or evangelist deserve a salary for serving the Lord considering we are all supposed to serve Him? Luke 10:1-7 indicates they should. The last verse is the key verse in this instance. "After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. He told them, 'The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.' When you enter a house, first say, 'Peace to this house.' If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages.”
The disciples may or may not have received a cash wage in the homes they visited, but the custom of the people who were hospitable enough to receive them was to "roll out the red carpet," so to speak. They butchered the best cow and provided the disciples with whatever they needed to continue their journey.
Romans 4:4 - “Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation.” No employer should make the worker feel that he received his pay out of the goodness of the employer's heart and that the employee should therefore be grateful to him. Yes, every employee should be grateful to have a job but it isn't for the employer to rub it in. After all, the employee did work for his pay which in turn put money in the employer's pocket. Maybe they should thank each other.
James 5:4-5 - “Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence.”
How many employers do we see around us living in luxury and self-indulgence while their employees and their families suffer because of low wages, which equals oppression. That is not capitalism; that is greed. Keep in mind, also, that their social security income will depend on the amount of their wages. If their wages were constantly low, they will receive a low social security payment. They are doomed to a lifetime of poverty.
I Timothy 5:17-18 - “The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, ‘Do not muzzle the ox while it is treading out the grain,’ and ‘The worker deserves his wages.’ ” These verses make it clear that full-time preachers and teachers are to be paid. Though Paul refused an income, he made it clear that preachers deserve one.
Deuteronomy 24:14 - "Do not take advantage of a hired man who is poor and needy, whether he is a brother Israelite or an alien living in one of your towns. Pay him his wages each day before sunset, because he is poor and is counting on it."
Take God to Work or Leave Him at Home?
Psalm 127:1-2 - “Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat…” Of course we see ungodly people who build fine houses and run great cities, but time brings punishment if that becomes the way of the land.
Psalm 90:17 - "May the favor of the Lord our God rest upon us; establish the work of our hands for us-- yes, establish the work of our hands." We get our very being from God. He wants to be in every aspect of our lives. He is a jealous God and does not like other gods being brought into a nation that once served Him and only Him. Businesses, government and schools have all brought other gods into their workplaces and have even shown these other gods more respect than the Christian God this country served from its beginning.
Attitude at Work: Don’t Have One; Be Content
I Timothy 6:6 - “But godliness with contentment is great gain. or we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that."
I Corinthians 4:12 - “We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it. . . ”
I Thessalonians 4:11 - “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands . . . ”
Eccl. 4:8 - “There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. ‘For whom am I toiling,’ he asked, ‘and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?’ This too is meaningless-- a miserable business!”
Solomon was obviously depressed when he wrote the first part of Ecclesiastes but he is right in saying that wealth does not bring contentment (It does help misery). Working long hours just to increase wealth leaves no time to enjoy life and it ruins relationships.
Reasonable Boss or Taskmaster?
Exodus 3: 7 - "Then the LORD said, "I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings…"
Nehemiah 5:18 - "Each day one ox, six choice sheep and some poultry were prepared for me, and every ten days an abundant supply of wine of all kinds. In spite of all this, I never demanded the food allotted to the governor, because the demands were heavy on these people." As governor, Nehemiah was compassionate toward the people who were helping him rebuild the walls of the temple. Unlike the governors before him, he did not live with abundance while they did without or with little. Nehemiah was a boss who cared about the welfare of his helpers.
Leviticus 25:53b - "He is to be treated as a man hired from year to year; you must see to it that his owner does not rule over him ruthlessly." This verse speaks of a slave. The main point is to not treat the slave ruthlessly but with the respect of a hired hand, a seasonal worker that returns every year.
Job 24:1-12 - "Why does the Almighty not set times for judgment? Why must those who know him look in vain for such days? Men move boundary stones; they pasture flocks they have stolen. They drive away the orphan's donkey and take the widow's ox in pledge. They thrust the needy from the path and force all the poor of the land into hiding. Like wild donkeys in the desert, the poor go about their labor of foraging food; the wasteland provides food for their children. They gather fodder in the fields and glean in the vineyards of the wicked. Lacking clothes, they spend the night naked; they have nothing to cover themselves in the cold. They are drenched by mountain rains and hug the rocks for lack of shelter. The fatherless child is snatched from the breast; the infant of the poor is seized for a debt. Lacking clothes, they go about naked; they carry the sheaves, but still go hungry. They crush olives among the terraces; they tread the winepresses, yet suffer thirst. The groans of the dying rise from the city, and the souls of the wounded cry out for help. But God charges no one with wrongdoing." (Not yet.) "There are those who rebel against the light, who do not know its ways or stay in its paths. When daylight is gone, the murderer rises up and kills the poor and needy; in the night he steals forth like a thief.” The corrupt oppress the poor. The poor suffer on every level. They work hard to provide for themselves and their families but it is futile because of evil people.
Job 31:13-15 - “If I have denied justice to any of my servants, whether male or female, when they had a grievance against me, what will I do when God confronts me? What will I answer when called to account? Did not he who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same one form us both within our mothers?"
Isaiah 58:3-10 - "Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers. Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high…" "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-- when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?… Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.”
Ephesians 6:9 - "And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him."
Colossians 4:1 - "Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven."
James 5:1-3 - “Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.”
I Timothy 6:9-10 - "People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs."
Proverbs 18:23 - "A poor man pleads for mercy, but a rich man answers harshly." If an underpaid poor worker asks for a raise, do not answer him harshly. Not all employers are rich but as profits increase, so should the wages of a worker. Through his labor and the boss’s business savvy, they have increased the profits as a team effort.
Matthew 18:32-33 - “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ ” A boss should treat a worker with the same mercy he would want to be shown by his superiors or overseers.
Proverbs 22:16-21 - “And he told them this parable: ‘The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, ‘You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.’ ’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
When God blesses a person with riches, thinking of the needs of others will help ward off the greed monster for he is most dangerous when the person makes his wealth all about himself.
Ephesians 6:9 - “And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.”
Show Respect for and Obey a Boss
Matthew 10:24 - “The student is not above the teacher, nor a servant above his master.” John 13:16 “Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master… ” As an employee, know your place.
Malachi 1:6 - "A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?" says the LORD Almighty.” The Lord is making a point about respecting Him but he says it in a way that it is a given or it is understood that a servant/worker honors his master/boss.
Ephesians 6: 5-8 - “Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.”
I Timothy 6:1-2 - “All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God's name and our teaching may not be slandered. Those who have believing masters are not to show less respect for them because they are brothers. Instead, they are to serve them even better, because those who benefit from their service are believers, and dear to them.”
Titus 2:9-10 - “Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.” Substitute “worker” for “slave” and “boss” for “master.” Talking back to a boss in a disrespectful way would be considered insubordination and does not set a good Christian example. Stealing items from workplaces has become a common problem. If someone else paid for an item and if that person had every intention of keeping the item, then to take it would be robbery. A worker who has earned the trust of his boss is a great Christian example. A boss would be more apt to listen to what a trustworthy worker has to say and to believe it or consider it worthy of more thought.
I Peter 2:17-18 - “Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king. Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.”
“Proper respect” means the respect that is culturally due the person, whether it be a handshake or a kiss on the cheeks. “Proper respect” also means knowing your place as a subordinate, knowing when to speak and not to speak, obedience, and when in front of others, responding to the boss or employer in a way that shows honor. Never embarrass your superior. Speak well of him/her or say nothing at all.
I Corinthians 4:12 - “We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it…”
Matthew 24:45-50 - “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of.” This reminds me of the saying “When the cat’s away the mice will play.” In this case the mouse got caught.
John 15:15a - “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business… ”
Speaking of how to treat a king, your superior:
Eccl. 8:5-6 - Whoever obeys his command will come to no harm, and the wise heart will know the proper time and procedure (to question a king's decision). For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter, though a person may be weighed down by misery."
(Substitute "boss" for "king.")
Eccl. 10:20 - "Do not revile the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird in the sky may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say" which reminds me of the saying "A little birdie told me so." Best to keep any negative thoughts about the boss or co-workers to yourself.
The Poor Worker’s Dilemma
Ecclesiastes 5:8 - “If you see the poor oppressed in a district, and justice and rights denied, do not be surprised at such things; for one official is eyed by a higher one, and over them both are others higher still.” This verse may not be talking about the workplace but the principle is the same. The poor worker is in a bottom position. In many cases every superior has a superior, one higher than him, and on up the ladder. Solomon is talking about the wrongs he has observed.
Depend on God, Do Not Turn Away From Him
Psalm 107:8-13 - “Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things. Some sat in darkness and the deepest gloom, prisoners suffering in iron chains, for they had rebelled against the words of God and despised the counsel of the Most High. So he subjected them to bitter labor; they stumbled, and there was no one to help. Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.”
Psalm 127:1-2 “Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat…”
Of course we see ungodly people who build fine houses, have profitable businesses and run great cities, but time brings punishment if that becomes the way of the land.
Haggai 1:6-11 - You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it." This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored," says the LORD. "You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?" declares the LORD Almighty. ‘Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with his own house. Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the oil and whatever the ground produces, on men and cattle, and on the labor of your hands."
A Warning and a Gift
Proverbs 5:8-10 - "Keep to a path far from her, do not go near the door of her house, lest you give your best strength to others and your years to one who is cruel, lest strangers feast on your wealth and your toil enrich another man's house."
Eccl. 3:12-13 - “I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live and also that everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil--this is the gift of God.”
The Sluggard
The following verses may have a spiritual meaning but the principles are the same on the job.
I Thessalonians 5:14 - “And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone.” II Thessalonians 3:11 - “We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies.” If a person is observed slacking off on the job, that person is to be warned that his/her job depends on staying busy. Proverbs 21:25 - “The sluggard's craving will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work.”
Proverbs 6:6-11 - “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest. How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest--and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.” Obviously there is a lot to be learned from an ant. I was so fascinated by the ant metaphor that I wrote a poem called “Consider the Ant, You Sluggard.” I incorporated phrases from scripture verses other than these that describe a lazy man.
CONSIDER THE ANT, YOU SLUGGARD
The lazy man is a sluggard;
He spends a lot of time smirking,
For when everyone else works hard,
He is hardly working.
A sluggard cannot be trusted,
To do what he says he will do.
His excuses are wild, his words are charming,
All the while he’s ignoring you.
The lazy man is very wise,
But only in his own eyes.
He thinks that people are fools,
And that they believe his lies.
The loafer can’t keep a job;
He is often shown the door.
So when a man’s hands are idle,
He and his family live poor.
He doesn’t plow in season,
But checks for a magical crop.
He fears a lion or a murderer;
He makes any excuse to stop.
The shirker arrives to work late,
He is always the first to leave.
And that’s if he has a job at all,
Because work is his pet peeve.
He should consider the ant;
That works though it never gets paid.
No one tells it what to do,
Yet the “groundwork” always gets laid.
Matthew 25:14-29 - “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.” Don’t be lazy. In business a profit must be produced. A worker for God's kingdom must not shirk his work making fishers of men.
Work Tithes
Help the poor and alien (not ones from outer space) any way you can within your profession. In this way you are tithing your time and resources, though not to the exclusion of your monetary tithes. These verses may spark a controversy as to whether to help the illegal aliens. I can only say that there are verses that tell us to obey the authorities. See Romans 13:1 and Titus 3:1.
I Thessalonians 2:9 - “Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.” Paul and his fellow preachers donated their full time and efforts – not just a portion. They worked jobs in order to do so.
Deuteronomy 24:19 - “When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands.” The principle here is that employers are to consider the less fortunate when operating a business.
Leviticus 19:10 - “Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God”
Leviticus 23: 22 - "When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the LORD your God."
Solomon Addresses the Subject of Labor
Solomon meditates on the subject of labor in the book of Ecclesiastes, and it is apparent that he is in turmoil. Even though he had everything life had to offer, he seems to be depressed. He struggles to understand the role of labor in life. He is disheartened by the emptiness it brings. In the end he sees that labor does have some value, but that value is not in the material things that money can buy.
This is how he begins: “I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.” (Eccl. 2:10-11)
A few verses later he continues his lament by saying, “So my heart began to despair over all my toilsome labor under the sun. For a man may do his work with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then he must leave all he owns to someone who has not worked for it. This too is meaningless and a great misfortune. What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun? All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest. This too is meaningless. A man can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in his work. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without HIM, who can eat or find enjoyment?” (Eccl 2:20-25)
Solomon makes a profound statement in the 4th chapter where he says in the 4th verse, “And I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man's envy of his neighbor.” Today we call that “keeping up with the Joneses.” People make excuses to explain why they work longer hours than necessary, and the truth is that they want things and they want their kids to have the latest gadgets or toys. They may want others to be impressed or they may want no less than their neighbor or friend or family member or whoever they hold in high regard materialistically. Another way of saying that is “whoever they envy.”
Verse 6 is where he surmises his finding: “Better one handful with tranquility than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind.” We would be wise to come to the same conclusion. The stress that chasing the dollar brings cancels out any happiness that it brings.
Solomon builds on his reflections in Chapter 6, verse 2: “God gives a man wealth, possessions and honor, so that he lacks nothing his heart desires, but God does not enable him to enjoy them, and a stranger enjoys them instead. This is meaningless, a grievous evil.”
God gives possessions to each person, but God does not intend for the possessions to provide fulfillment in a person’s life, for they are not what is most important. Material possessions cannot fill the void that a relationship with God and others should fill. Those possessions eventually begin to rule their lives, for they must be maintained. The person becomes a slave to things. And you can't take them with you when you go.
Some people spend their earnings on their addiction of choice and this too pulls them away from the family. Man cannot serve both money – or the things money can buy -- and God.
This is the conclusion Solomon came to in the book of Ecclesiastes: "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil."
My Comments:
There is no scripture to back up the following statements; they are merely my opinions, observations and experiences:
When a person takes a new job, one of the first things that happens is that they are given a Job Description on paper. The employer's expectations should be on that Job Description so there is no confusion as to who does what in the work pool. In addition to the Job Description, the worker should have in writing the amount they will get paid, how long they will be on probation, when they can expect raises, vacation days, holidays, sick days, the rank of superiors, fringe benefits, etc. How insurance works should also at least be discussed, especially if using it often might affect their job. The amount of severance pay should also be stated. When considering severance pay, should vacation days be included in the severance pay (in other words lost) or are they in addition to severance pay.The more that is put down in writing, the less confusion there will be should a question arise. If an entity such as a church or non-profit organization doesn't pay into workmen's compensation, that should be made known during the interview.
The person should be well trained. There are times when the bosses assume the new employee is being adequately trained and they are not.
Superiors should not give the duties of a trainee to a person who has been there longer just to save time. If a person is hired for a certain job, they should be allowed to perform the duties of the position, not by-passed. Learning through experience leads to better production.
When and if a board does the hiring, or if even two superiors do the hiring, if there is a conflict over who to hire, do not hire anyone until everyone is in agreement. Otherwise the one on the hiring committee who didn't get his way will look for fault in the new employee and the new employee won't have a clue why they can't seem to do anything right in that superior's eyes. Also, those who don't agree with who was hired will cause a negative undercurrent. The job candidate should think twice about accepting a job where everyone is not in agreement that he should be hired.
Should a problem arise, discuss the problem with the employee and give that employee a chance to explain their actions. There may be more to the story than what appears.
There are backbiters in almost every workplace. Don't let them ruin the morale of the workplace. Explain to them the consequences of their actions if they do not cease to bring down morale.
If a worker sees dishonesty occurring in the workplace, or if married employees are seen getting too chummy, it is best to discuss the situation with a superior only. There may be a time when it is the superior who is involved.This is a real tricky situation that must be carefully thought out and backed up with facts. Don't gossip with other workers. The worker should keep in mind that he or she could lose his or her position for exposing the situation. Again, things aren't always as they appear. Be tactful, be factual and be merciful.
Encourage other workers. The Bible teaches us to be encouraging. People are hesitant to be encouraging for fear the person will get the big head but more often than not the person is wondering if they are measuring up to expectations. Everyone likes to know they are doing a good job.
--Becky Wall
key words: #overworked #lazyworker #workplacedisharmony #moralekillers #oppressedworker conflictsatwork
Godintheworkplace #inadequatetraining #hiring #firing #communicationvoid #workplace #office #boss brown-nosing #disrespecttoboss #insubordination #negativeundercurrent #thingsarenotastheyappear #equalaspeoplebutnotinrank
#labor
Links: https://beckyowall.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-terminator-and-terminated.html
https://beckyowall.blogspot.com/2013/04/consider-ant-you-sluggard.html
https://beckyowall.blogspot.com/2013/07/solomon-addresses-subject-of-labor_15.html
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