Ephesians 4:28 - We Were Created to Work So We Could Give

Nowthe third admonition—and its motivation—is found in verse 28: “Let him whostole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what isgood, that he may have something to give to him who has need.” The commandis clear: stop stealing. But Paul doesn’t stop there. He says instead, work.Labor with your hands. Why? So that you may have something to give. That is themotivation—not so that you can accumulate more for yourself. Sadly,that seems to be the primary motivation for many people in our culture today.We go to work not so that we can give—to our families, to others, to society,or to those God lays on our hearts—but simply so that we can pay our bills andhave more. Now, it is good and necessary to work to provide for your needs, butit is an even greater motivation to work so that you can give. Iwant you to notice something important in Scripture. When we are firstintroduced to God in the Bible, in Genesis chapter 1, we see that God is aworking God. Over and over again, the text says, “God made.” You do not makesomething without working, and God worked. Then in Genesis 2:1–3, the Biblementions the word work for the first time—at least three times. When God wasmaking, He was working. God is a working God, and when God created us humans Hecreated us in His image. That means He created us to work. Noticeafter creating man, God placed him in the garden in Genesis 2:15. Why? Not tolie around and simply enjoy life, but to tend it and keep it. God gave Adammeaningful, enjoyable work to do—before the curse ever came and that was totake care of God’s creation. After Adam sinned, God said that work would nowinvolve sweat, because of the curse of thorns, and thistles (Genesis 3:17-19).Even so, we are still created to work. That is part of being Godlike. But wework not so that we can have more, but so that we can fulfill God’s purpose. Oneof the great problems in our culture today is that we have raised generationsof people who believe they are entitled to receive without working. How sadthat is. There is nothing free, my friend—someone always pays the price. Whenwe work, we are fulfilling one of the very purposes for which God created us.God worked. God rested. And He designed us to work six days and rest one—not torest six days and try to work one. God has no place for laziness in theScriptures. Read Proverbs 6: “Go to the ant, you sluggard.” Those are strongwords. God does not use lazy people. InScripture we notice that when God wanted to do a great work, He called peoplewho were already working. He called Moses while he was tending sheep. He calledDavid while he was tending sheep. He called Gideon while he was threshingwheat. He called four disciples who were mending nets and casting them into thesea. God found people who were working and invited them to join Him in Hisgreat work. Why?Not so they could have more—but so they could give. The greatest gift God evergave was His only Son, Jesus Christ. The greatest work God ever accomplishedwas the work of redemption on the cross. And today, the great work of thebeliever is to give—to give the good news of Jesus Christ to a lost world. Thatwork brings great glory to God and great satisfaction to those who labor toplease Him. So Paul says it plainly: “Let him who stole steal no longer, butrather let him labor with his hands…that he may have something to give to himwho has need.” Myfriend, we live in a needy world—one that needs Jesus Christ more than anythingelse. Jesus said in John 9:4, “I must work the works of Him who sent Me whileit is day; the night is coming when no one can work.” We should be doing thesame because that night of judgment is just around the corner! Godbless you, and may you have a wonderful, wonderful day.