If you live in The United States, then chances are you are seeing a boatload of hiring signs. The pandemic has completely changed the way we work, and for the first time ever, employees have more leverage than employers. Employees can remain unemployed to receive unemployment benefits and get paid more not working than they would if they were working. The idea of “man don’t work, a man don’t eat” is being challenged. How should we Christians respond to this movement?
1. An idle mind is The Devil’s workshop. When we aren’t productive, we are giving room for sin to creep into our lives. Provers 19:15 says, “Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger.” When a person is not producing fruit, they will become lazy and useless, and that’s not the way God intended us to be. Laziness only brings poverty and destruction, and God doesn’t want us to be in that type of bondage. Not everyone who has quit their jobs is just sitting at home playing video games, but when dealing with sinful people, you are bound to have laziness.
2. Work has changed, but work is still work. Prior to the pandemic, the idea of working from home was looked down upon by many conservative-minded people who demonized technology; now, it’s become mainstream thanks to COVID-19. People work online not because they want to but because they have no choice. The pandemic made people change the way they view work. What your parents or grandparents may consider a waste of time is how you provide for yourself and your family. If you are providing value to other people’s lives, then I consider that work regardless of what you do for a living.
3. Be a light. Hard work shows people that Christians are the most reliable employees. When you are working hard, you are giving the world a better view of Christianity. A good work ethic plus a good attitude can really make a difference in someone’s life. Matthew 5:16 says, “Let your light shine so that they may see your good works which glorify your Father in Heaven.” Having integrity is what will separate you from the people who just work for a paycheck.
I see the great resignation as a positive and a negative. I see it as a negative because it produces a lot of laziness and entitlement. Still, I also see it as a positive because it helps people like me who are entrepreneurial and have the drive to leverage the internet as a means to generate income feel more empowered. People still push back on the idea of working remotely, but if you’re a freelancer or someone who wants to start an online business, now it’s the perfect time to do so.
“Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.”
– 2 Thessalonians 3:12 [ESV]
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