Adam and Eve had a perfect life. They walked with God, they talked with God, and all God asked for in return was for them to take care of His garden, to work in the Garden of Eden. God provided for their every need until a serpent slivered its way into the Garden and Eve’s mind. One poor decision brought sin into the world and a curse that still affects us to this day. God expelled both Adam and Eve from their perfect world and introduced the concept of hard work. Genesis 3:17b-19 outlines what work would entail:

Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow, you will eat your food until you return to the ground since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.

No longer would all of Adam and Eve’s needs be taken care of. They would have to work to feed themselves and their children and work hard.

Throughout the Old Testament, work is mentioned, and the Israelite people were given specific instructions on how to perform their work (Leviticus 23:22). Ruth worked the fields and gathered food for herself and her mother-in-law Naomi. The kings of Israel employed servants for their households and men to work the fields. Work was a vital aspect of the Israelite people.

Of all the instructions on work ethic in the Bible, the Apostle Paul gave us some of the best instructions. Paul was chosen by God to reach the Gentile nations with news about Jesus, but we often forget one tiny detail—Paul worked. He was a tentmaker by trade, and he did not rely on anyone to provide for him in any of the cities that he preached in. While in Corinth, Paul worked side-by-side with Priscilla and Aquila in their tentmaking business (Acts 18:2-3).

Paul was a worker, and he instructed the young churches to be workers also. Look at the direction he gave to the newly formed churches:

• To the Colossians church: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters” (Colossians 3:23).

• To the Thessalonian church: “For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: ‘The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.’ We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies. Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12).

• To the Corinthian church: “So, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

• To the Ephesian church: “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 as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve whole-heartedly as if you were serving the Lord, not people” (Ephesians 6:5-7).

Paul also gave instructions on work ethic to his fellow worker Timothy. Paul said to Timothy, “Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Timothy 5:8).

God expects us to take care of our needs and the needs of our families. We are to work as if we are working for Christ Jesus and to be a light in our workplace. We aren’t to contribute to problems in the workplace or to be the problem in our workplace. When unbelievers know we follow Christ, they watch us very close. We are to go to work, be on time, and give everything we have for our jobs. We are to follow the rules set in place and to work ethically. If we are not exhibiting godly behaviors and showing others the love of Christ, we are not representing Christ in a manner worthy of the sacrifice of His life. Sometimes the only glimpse of Christ an unbeliever gets is through us. Are you representing Christ in the right way or in the wrong way?

A wise man (Solomon) once wrote, “Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth” (Proverbs 10:4). God rewards our obedience and our hard work. We obey God not because He needs our obedience. He’s God—He doesn’t need us to make Him feel better about Himself. We obey God because we need obedience to live the lives we are called to live.