Biblical Work Ethic

    The Bible says the words “work, worked, and working” 538 times according to Biblegateway.com search engine. This would mean that the Bible would have to give a very good lesson of what work is and how to do it. It gives great examples on what your work ethic should be and in what mind set you should do it.
In Genesis, God made man and woman so that they could work the land and take care of it. “The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it” (Genesis 2:15). We should work because the Lord has told us to do so. 

     The Bible has more than a few verses on those who do not work and those who are lazy. Proverbs 18:9 says, “One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys.” Another verse in Proverbs talks very strongly against those who are lazy, Proverbs 21:25 says, “The sluggard's craving will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work.” God seems to make it very clear that we should slack off or become lazy at work. Being called a sluggard is not a term that I would want to be defined by when at a working job. Work hard and don’t slack off and in time you will be rewarded, if not earthly rewards, then heavenly rewards.

     
     The Word also has something to say about employers in its scriptures. Jeremiah 22:13 says, "Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness, his upper rooms by injustice, making his countrymen work for nothing, not paying them for their labor.” Romans 4:2 also implies that when a man works he must receive pay, “Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him as a gift, but as an obligation.” Therefore employers, treat your employees with dignity and respect, pay them what they deserve to be paid.

   
    Finally, always remember Colossians 3:23-24, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”