Wisdom for Work

INTRO: When we think about work, many folks view it as an obligation or a responsibility. It’s something we have to do- and even though you might acknowledge the necessity of work, maybe you even think of it as a necessary evil. After all, not working has consequences.

In 2 Thess. 3:10, Paul affirmed this responsibility by saying:

2 Thessalonians 3:10 NASB95

10 For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.

Now, I don’t know how you grew up, but this was practiced in my home… I remember a few occasions when I could not eat dinner until I had completed my chores. And I don’t think that was a bad thing. It taught me at a young age not to take lightly my assignments.

But what if work was more than merely a necessary part of life? I believe that Scripture teaches work, as a principle, is a good and noble thing. Work was not created because of sin; it existed before sin ever entered the world. In Genesis 2:15, God placed Adam in the garden “to cultivate it and keep it.”

That means work itself is not the curse. Frustration in work is the curse.

After the fall, the ground would produce thorns, sweat would increase, and labor would become difficult. But the work itself was still part of God’s design for human flourishing.

In other words, when we work, we are actually reflecting something about the God who made us. God is a working God. He created the world, He sustains it, and even now Christ says in John 5, “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.”

So when we work in the fear of the Lord, we are not merely earning a paycheck—we are reflecting the character of the God who created us. Paul, speaking to the Colossian church, said, Col 3:23

Colossians 3:23 NASB95

23 Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men,

Therefore, work is not merely a responsibility, it is a testimony. And this is true is all realms of work: Careers, work in the home, and work through volunteer ministry. Our efforts in our work demonstrate our values-and if we are wise, that is, working as unto the Lord, then these values will reveal that our lives are surrendered to the Lordship of Christ.

Remember, the Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. And, as we’ve noted before, this fear is not abstract terror, but rather it is simply the right view of who God is, and the right response to Him as God. So, in every arena of life, wisdom displayed through you and I will bring glory to God, and joy and fulfillment to us.

Now, perhaps you are like so many people today and you struggle with how you can work a secular job unto the Lord. You have likely had the false idea crammed in your head that your work and religion should be separate. Or maybe you are practically living a double life in which you may come to church work through service or missions to honor God, but at home and in your career, you are rarely even thinking about how you are testifying of Christ.

If work is something God designed, then it makes sense that God would also give us wisdom for how to do it well.

And that’s exactly what we find in the book of Proverbs.

Throughout Proverbs 10–29, Solomon repeatedly shows us what wise work looks like in everyday life.

If you have a bulletin, I encourage you to make use of the enclosed sermon guide as we learn together. Solomon shows us 3 ways wisdom guides our work and testifies of God’s goodness. The first way wisdom guides our work is:

Wisdom Works in Integrity (10:26, 11:1, 12:11,13:11,15:19, 20:10)

Integrity has often been defined as doing the right thing, even when nobody is looking. What is the right thing? Well, it could be the right moral thing- acting in alignment with God’s Word.

For example: There are many proverbs about unjust gains.

Proverbs 11:1 NASB95

1 A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, But a just weight is His delight.

Proverbs 20:10 NASB95

10 Differing weights and differing measures, Both of them are abominable to the Lord.

Proverbs 13:11 NASB95

11 Wealth obtained by fraud dwindles, But the one who gathers by labor increases it.

IOW, when you work, you want to ensure that you are not cheating people. In Solomon’s day merchants used scales and stones to measure goods. Dishonest sellers would keep two sets of weights—one heavier when buying and one lighter when selling. It was a simple way to cheat people without them noticing.

There is a reason we tend to have a negative response when we see price gauging or people taking advantage of elderly folks. That kind of behavior is abominable to the Lord- He hates it.

Yet, when we act in integrity, we honor the Lord and He is delighted and He blesses.

Integrity can also refer to how we go about our work.

Proverbs 15:19 NASB95

19 The way of the lazy is as a hedge of thorns, But the path of the upright is a highway.

Proverbs 10:26 NASB95

26 Like vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, So is the lazy one to those who send him.

What Solomon is saying is that laziness is bad for both the person doing the work and for the boss who employs them.

ILL: When I worked in hotel management, I had an bellman who would clock in, and disappear. I’d give him a list of tasks, but they only got done if I hounded him. One of his favorite lines was, “That’s not my job.” He wanted a paycheck, but he didn’t want to earn it.

Does that not sound like a ‘smoke in the eyes’ kind of employee?

On the other hand, when we work with diligence, we demonstrate the importance of both the work and the time. And that speaks to not only our character, but the character of the God whom we claim. Listen to:

Proverbs 12:11 NASB95

11 He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, But he who pursues worthless things lacks sense.

Even when we think nobody is looking, if we are not pursuing the right things in our work, it will cost us.

Yet, when we work with integrity, we demonstrate that God is our guide; His Word informs us and our actions are upright. That testimony shows others that we are different; we are not simply working to eke out a living, but to work as unto the Lord.

When you are working in the home, integrity means that you are trustworthy- that the role God has given you is important. You testify to the goodness of God through your diligence - whether its cleaning, discipling your children, mowing the lawn… you do these things well, proclaiming your gratitude in God’s provision, and demonstrating to your family that Christ is King.

As the 4th Earl of Chesterfield once said, “Whatever is worth doing at all, is worth doing well.”

When we work with integrity, we show that our character belongs to the Lord. People can trust us because we refuse to cheat, cut corners, or hide laziness.

But wisdom in our work is not only about doing what is right. It’s also about thinking wisely about what we are doing.

In other words, integrity answers the question: “Will I do what is right?”

But wisdom asks another question: “Am I thinking ahead about what I’m doing?”

Solomon reminds us that godly work is not only honest work—it is also intentional work.

Wisdom Works with Intention (21:5, 11:14, 20:18, 19:21, 16:9)

God has given you a brain so that you can think beyond this moment… some of you have been thinking immediately beyond this time to lunch. Others may be thinking ahead to vacation, a sports game, etc.

Well, when we work with intention, we anticipate the future and plan for it, not merely reacting as things pop up. Even Jesus said to count the cost…

Proverbs 21:5 NASB95

5 The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, But everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty.

ILL: Whether we are talking about the launch of a new business, meals for the week, or a ministry event, planning diligently brings a greater chance of success. Flying by the seat of your pants is not a plan. How many of you remember seeing that poster that said, “Failing to plan is planning to fail?”

And look, I know that not everyone is a natural planner. But this is where wisdom says we should invite others into our lives who can help us navigate our planning. Look at

Proverbs 11:14 NASB95

14 Where there is no guidance the people fall, But in abundance of counselors there is victory.

Proverbs 20:18 NASB95

18 Prepare plans by consultation, And make war by wise guidance.

It’s not a weakness to collaborate. Our understanding and perspective as individuals is limited. Having others work together to form plans is as sign of humility.

Of course, the Proverbs remind us that plans formed in our wisdom are not always perfect.

Proverbs 19:21 NASB95

21 Many plans are in a man’s heart, But the counsel of the Lord will stand.

Proverbs 16:9 NASB95

9 The mind of man plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.

Only God is sovereign. We must approach the future with the humble acknowledgement that only God knows what will be.

James 4:13–15 NASB95

13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.” 14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.”

So, we see instantly that our plans must be submitted under the Lordship of Christ; Here’s where I want to show you that our work can be corrupt- we can work so hard for the wrong things, and lose our soul.

Yet, being intentional is a sign of wisdom in our work. Take a moment to reflect here. Imagine if grocery store managers didn’t plan for more groceries to be delivered. Imagine if nobody planned for coffee to be available in the morning or if nobody planned a Sunday school lesson… Intention in our work reflects the purpose for which God designed us.

When we fear the Lord, we work with integrity and intention because Christ rules our lives. And that wise working testifies to others that your trust in God has led you to work in accordance with His values.

So wisdom teaches us to plan. We think ahead. We seek counsel. And we submit our plans to the Lord.

But here is the danger: planning can sometimes become a substitute for doing.

Some people love to make plans… they talk about plans… they dream about plans… but the plans never turn into action.

Solomon knew that wisdom requires more than integrity and planning—it requires initiative.

Wisdom Works with Initiative (24:30-34)

Proverbs 24:30–34 NASB95

30 I passed by the field of the sluggard And by the vineyard of the man lacking sense, 31 And behold, it was completely overgrown with thistles; Its surface was covered with nettles, And its stone wall was broken down. 32 When I saw, I reflected upon it; I looked, and received instruction. 33 “A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest,” 34 Then your poverty will come as a robber And your want like an armed man.

Solomon is describing the dangers of apathy. I want you to visualize the vineyard:

overgrown with thorns (not good for grape vines)

wall was broken (not secure - wild animals can get in and destroy any fruit)

Now notice something important about Solomon’s description. The vineyard didn’t collapse because of one big catastrophic mistake.

It collapsed because of small neglect repeated over time.

“A little sleep… a little slumber… a little folding of the hands…”

Laziness rarely announces itself loudly. It whispers.

“You can deal with that tomorrow.” “It’s not that big of a problem.” “Someone else will handle it.”

But over time those little moments of neglect become thorns in the field and broken walls around the vineyard.

In maintenance terms, we would call this deferred maintenance. But let me tell you something- and you can see from Solomon’s description: Deferring leads to problems which leads to loss.

ILL: Have you ever had a roof leak? When we ignore it or refuse to deal with it, it does not get better, does it? No, it gets substantially worse and way more expensive to fix.

This kind of apathy does not happen overnight. It comes over the years. Probably started with cutting a few corners… not weeding as often as one should- maybe there were more fun things to do. Maybe they just needed a day off! But that one day turned into several. Soon, they found no desire to go to the vineyard nor to work, and the value of the vineyard eroded.

This kind of thing can happen in our work - perhaps a few shortcuts here and there...

It can happen in our homes - after all, when it’s your home nobody forces you to clean your room.

It can happen in ministry. You’re all volunteers. Maybe you figure someone else will do it. But soon enough, ministries have to die- there aren’t enough volunteers or money to keep them going.

The solution is that we take initiative. That means that we do not wait to be asked before we step up to serve. We don’t wait until it’s a problem to act. It means that we take ownership and start seeing opportunities instead of ‘problems.’

You see, there is a point when the vineyard has to be bulldozed and you have to start from scratch. Just as a building will deteriorate without investment, so too will our homes and our church ministries. But the wise Christian knows that taking initiative reflects God’s own heart for us.

You see, our problem is not just laziness at work. Our problem is that sin has corrupted everything we do.

Even our best work can become selfish, prideful, or idolatrous.

That’s why Jesus came—not only to forgive our sins, but to redeem our lives.

And get this: When Christ becomes Lord of your life, even ordinary work becomes worship.

Church, think about how much of your life is spent working.

Forty… fifty… sixty hours every week.

That means most of your Christian witness will not happen in a church building.

It will happen:

in the office

on the job site

in the classroom

in the kitchen

in the quiet work of caring for a home.

Church, when the fear of the Lord shapes our work, three things begin to show up in our lives.

We work with integrity — we do what is right even when no one is watching.

We work with intention — we think wisely about the future and submit our plans to the Lord.

And we work with initiative — we step forward instead of waiting for someone else to act.

And when those things are present, your work becomes a testimony to the King you serve.

You are showing that Christ rules even the ordinary parts of life. Long before you ever share the gospel with someone, your work ethic may already be preaching a sermon about the God you serve.

So, let me give you a simple way you can take action on this teaching this week: Write yourself a note or send yourself an email to remind you that you are working as unto the Lord- in integrity, with intention, and with initiative.

[PRAY]

Discuss: Read Colossians 3:23. What does it practically mean to work “as for the Lord rather than for men” in everyday life?

Discuss: Read Proverbs 24:30–34. What signs of neglect did Solomon observe in the sluggard’s vineyard?

Discuss: How might your work environment change if you consistently worked as if you were working directly for Christ?