Since When Did the Work Ethic Become Unethical?

Walking into a restaurant last week, my wife and I were greeted by a sign that read, “We are short staffed. Please be patient with the staff that did show up. No one wants to work anymore.” Evidently, this is not an exaggeration. A recent newspaper article quoted other restaurant owners making the same complaint. An increasing number can’t find enough workers to keep their doors open.

Some people attribute this to the ongoing effects of the pandemic, but in many parts of the country, life is returning to a semblance of sanity. Restaurants and other retail establishments are resuming regular hours and activities, and people are venturing out of their homes. But workers are staying away in droves. Why? 

 

It appears unemployment benefits and several rounds of Covid-19 stimulus payments have convinced some folks it’s no longer necessary to work to generate income. Months ago, a friend who owns several service franchises told me it has become difficult to find workers. Often, his help-wanted ads receive little or no response. Even previous employees are reluctant to return to work, satisfied to collect government payments while not working. 

 

Is this “the American dream”? As one wag has termed it, “Payday every day – and no work on payday.” Our society has come a long way; but that doesn’t mean it’s a good way.

 

In the early 1900s, German sociologist Max Weber wrote The Protestant Work Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, which embraced values such as diligence, discipline, hard work, innovation and frugality. While his discussion encompassed theology, sociology, economics and history, this work ethic is firmly anchored in teachings from the Bible.

 

The book of Proverbs in particular affirms the virtues of enterprise, initiative, determination and the use of one’s unique skills for the benefit of others. It says things such as:

“Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth” (Proverbs 10:4).

“He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment” (Proverbs 12:11).

“All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty” (Proverbs 14:23).

“The laborer’s appetite works for him; his hunger drives him one” (Proverbs 16:26).

“Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men” (Proverbs 22:29).

“He who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and he who looks after his master will be honored” (Proverbs 27:18).

 

Granted, most of these proverbs are couched in an agricultural context, but the principles fit any field of vocational endeavor: Hard work, diligence and the proper utilization of talents and abilities usually reap a tangible reward. 

 

Work obviously isn’t a concept that developed over the past few centuries. Its origin traces to the Creation account, recorded in the first chapter of Genesis. After creating humankind “in His own image,” the Lord gave Adam and Eve their job description: “God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it…. I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food…’” (Genesis 1:27-29).

 

For the six days of Creation, God Himself had been diligently, ambitiously and imaginatively working. And He desired for the people created in His own image to do likewise. Sadly, following the first man and woman’s sinful disobedience against God, disregarding the one taboo He had given them, one of the curses of their rebellion was that work became hard. “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you…. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food…” (Genesis 3:17-19).

 

But that doesn’t diminish the fact that work was ordained and mandated by God, a form of sacred service to Him and His creation. In fact, the apostle Paul noted this in a letter to a first-century church: “For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: ‘The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat’" (2 Thessalonians 3:10).

 

[Interesting side note: These words had significance even for Vladimir Lenin, a founder of Communism. He referred to them in his 1917 work, “The State and Revolution,” and later they were incorporated into the Russian Constitution of 1918: “He who does not work shall not eat.” We don’t offer hear this cited by voices heralding the supposed virtues of socialism.]

 

Getting back to the claim that “no one wants to work anymore,” even if not intended, this reflects an affront to God. Because the Scriptures declare work is much more than physical and mental labor expended in return for a paycheck. 

 

From the beginning, working was designed as a form of worship and reverence for the Creator. As it declares in Colossians 3:23, “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.” 

 

Some may disagree, but refusing to work simply because a check from the government will arrive without the investment of any time or effort is to say, in effect, “God, I don’t want to serve you. I have no desire to use the strength and abilities you’ve given me to honor You or to be of benefit to others.” One reason we were created is to work. To intentionally not work when we’re able to do so rejects a key part of God’s plan and purpose for us all.

Let’s Get Worked Up Over Work

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs are obviously "bushed"
after a hard day of work at Walt Disney World.

“Whistle While You Work….” What a fun, lilting tune for the Seven Dwarfs marching off to the mines every day in the Walt Disney classic, “Snow White.” With a merry “Hi, ho,” Doc, Sleepy, Dopey, Bashful, Sneezy. Grumpy and Happy would say good-bye to their lovely, raven-haired guest on their way to harvest precious stones.

What did the dwarfs do with the gems – take them to their friendly local gemologist, collect them for an annual jewelers’ convention, sell them on eBay? Who knows? But they seemed to enjoy their work.

This being Labor Day in the USA, it’s a time most of us take the day off (ironically) to celebrate the virtues of honest work. But it seems rather than celebrating, what we need to be doing is remembering or recapturing those virtues, because many people seem intent on avoiding work as much as possible. Unwilling employment is surpassing unemployment as the greater dilemma.

Recently I heard about a major manufacturer in our region that’s having a very hard time recruiting and replacing employees, and it employs thousands in its plants. Many job applicants have virtually no work history, and even after multiple interviews and thorough screening, an alarming percentage quit the same day they’re hired and start to work, or soon afterward. Apparently, working isn’t their “thing.”

Whatever happened to the old-fashioned “work ethic”?

In some quarters there’s a major push to drastically raise the minimum wage so that unskilled, low-responsibility workers at fast-food restaurants, cafes and other places can receive a “living wage.” Yet studies indicate that in more than a few cases, when hourly pay increases, workers willingly – and eagerly – reduce the number of hours they want to work. I heard a rumor that they’re unionizing and will strike, demanding payday everyday and no work on payday.

One of the issues surrounding immigration, and illegal immigrants, is the reality that men and women coming into the country from less affluent lands are willing to perform jobs that many able-bodied individuals regard as sheer drudgery and beneath their station.

Not being a sociologist or politician, I’m not about to suggest solutions to such perplexities. But I do think it wouldn’t hurt to revisit the purpose and meaning of work.

Of course, work is hardly a new idea. It’s not something birthed during the Industrial Revolution. It was God’s idea, from the very start.

In the first chapter of Genesis, He commanded the first man and woman, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground…. I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food…” (Genesis 1:28-29).

Some theologians refer to this as the “cultural mandate,” the first job description for humankind. Unfortunately, following the disobedience of Adam and Eve in eating from the one tree forbidden to them, one of the consequences was that work became hard. “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you…. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food…” (Genesis 3:17-19).

Today, most of us don’t make our living from the ground. But the painful toil is still there, along with “thorns and thistles” in many forms. As a result, instead of awakening with a hearty “Good morning, Lord!”, we grumble instead, “Good Lord, morning!”

But even conceding that work is difficult, the fact God ordained it makes it sacred and a worthwhile pursuit. The Bible says much about the merits of hard work – along with the perils of laziness and lack of initiative. Here’s a sampling of what’s found just in the book of Proverbs:

-        “Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth” (Proverbs 10:4).

-        “He who works his land will have abundant food, but he who chases fantasies lacks judgment” (Proverbs 12:11).

-        “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty” (Proverbs 14:23).

-        “The laborer’s appetite works for him; his hunger drives him on” (Proverbs 16:26).

-        “Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men” (Proverbs 22:29).

It’s clear God intends for us to work and for our labors to be rewarding, challenging as they may be at times. But there’s one other divine purpose behind work: It serves as a way of worshipping our Creator. “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” (Colossians 3:23-24).

So if you have a holiday today, enjoy the time off. Relax. Refresh. Then when tomorrow comes, get to work!

Hard Work – Or Heart Work?

“Nothing worth having comes easy.” “Hard work does not guarantee success but no success is possible without hard work.” “All roads that lead to success have to pass through Hard Work Boulevard at some point.” “There is no substitute for hard work” (Thomas Edison).

These are just a handful of hundreds of salient quotations about the necessity of hard work for achieving meaningful goals and objectives. They apply to any endeavor, whether it’s gaining a useful education, forging a rewarding career, mastering a musical instrument, honing skills in a specific craft or hobby, building a family, excelling in athletic pursuits, writing a book, or even losing weight. The easy way, on the other hand, is usually the surest path to failure.

As Proverbs 6:10-11 points out, "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." Another verse, Proverbs 14:23, adds, “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.”

But sometimes, hard work frankly isn’t worth it. For instance, for people lacking certain innate skills, no matter how hard they work, it’s unlikely they’ll approach success. For instance, on a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the highest), my singing skills would probably rate a .5, so I’m not going to exert any effort trying to become vocal soloist with the local symphony. My mechanical aptitude isn’t much better, so I have no intention of trying to refurbish an old car or build a house – or even a birdhouse – any time soon.

However, writing has been my passion for as long as I can remember. In fact, even though I’ve spent countless hours doing it and believe time and practice have helped to hone my literary skills, it’s more “heart work” than hard work. As someone once said – and many have repeated – if you love your work, you’ll never really work another day in your life.

That doesn’t mean if you’re not passionate something, like about cutting grass, washing the dishes or taking out the trash, you’re excused from doing it when necessary. Daily chores and some assignments in the workplace have to be done even if we don’t love having to do them. But heart work definitely makes hard work easier. So given that we all are limited to 24 hours a day and seven days in a week, doesn’t it make sense to devote much of that time to pursuits we’re passionate about, ones we also happen to be skilled or gifted at doing?

And when that passion is linked to a sense of calling or mission, we won’t find it necessary to pick ourselves up by the scruff of the neck to get going. As author and motivational speaker Steve Pavlina wrote, “When you live for a strong purpose, then hard work isn’t an option. It’s a necessity.”

For followers of Jesus Christ, our passion for Him – and His love for us – should provide more than enough motivation to be involved somehow in the work of His eternal kingdom. The apostle Paul wrote unapologetically, “if we are out of our mind, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you. For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that One died for all, therefore all died…. Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:13-20).

Without question, fulfilling the calling God had given Paul was hard work, agonizingly so. He encountered great adversity, persecution, physical hardship, imprisonment, and moments when he was at the brink of death. But having become convinced that nothing could ever separate any of God’s children from His divine love (Romans 8:38-39), Paul’s heart work enabled him to endure the hard work.

What’s your heart work, that thing (or those things) capable of turning the necessary hard work into a pleasure and a privilege, rather than a bother and a burden?