Be a Skilled Worker

Growing up, I had the privilege of spending time with my grandparents in Texas. I fondly remember the lessons my grandfather tried to instill in my brother and me, particularly when it came to developing a strong work ethic. Sometimes the jobs seemed monotonous, such as when he had my brother and me pick dandelions from the yard, paying us a quarter for each bag we filled. Other times, he taught us practical skills, such as how to make birdhouses from scraps of wooden fence panels. He wanted his grandsons to understand the value of hard work and not become lazy. The book of Proverbs shares this same emphasis and is filled with wisdom concerning the value of diligent labor and the dangers of laziness.

Before we look at what Proverbs says about work, we must understand why work matters. In Genesis 1, God creates the earth and everything in it, and in Genesis 1:26–30, He creates man in His own image. God gives mankind the mandate to rule over the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and the livestock, as well as to subdue the earth. From the beginning, work was part of God’s good design.

However, in Genesis 3, the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, sinned against God. As a result, God sent them out of the garden, and they are no longer able to live in the perfection of Eden. Work itself was not a consequence of sin, but the toil and difficulty associated with work were. The ground would no longer readily produce what man needed; instead, it would bring forth thorns and thistles. Man would labor with difficulty and sweat, working until he eventually returned to the dust from which he was made. Yet even in a fallen world, God has called us to work. We are called to work for His glory, and the book of Proverbs provides us with practical wisdom and direction for how we are to do so.

Most people do not naturally enjoy work. It can be hard, frustrating, and challenging, although at times it can also be very rewarding. Work rarely comes easily. When you begin a new task or job, you are usually not an expert. Becoming skilled takes time, practice, and perseverance. Proverbs 22:29 says, “Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.” Developing skill in a particular craft does not happen overnight. It requires determination, patience, and hard work.

Think of a woodworker. He does not pick up a piece of wood and a saw for the first time and immediately create a beautiful table or set of chairs. He will make mistakes. His work may not look as polished as it could, and nails may be bent or left exposed. Those first few tables may need to be thrown away or kept out of sight. However, a good woodworker will not give up after making a few mistakes. He continues to become further skilled at his craft.

Our work is much the same. It takes time to become skilled at our jobs, and we will inevitably make mistakes along the way. However, we should not allow those mistakes to discourage us or cause us to give up. Instead, we should continue to work diligently as unto the Lord, seeking to improve and become more skilled at what God has called us to do. In doing so, we can strive toward the wisdom of Proverbs 22:29 and become skillful in our work.

A lazy person does not persevere in learning or developing his skills. When work becomes difficult or criticism comes, a lazy person may be tempted to give up instead of learning from mistakes and continuing to improve. Proverbs presents laziness as the opposite of diligence. Proverbs 6:6-11 gives us a vivid picture of diligence:

Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.”

The ant provides an example of diligence because it works without needing someone to constantly supervise or motivate it. In contrast, the lazy person wants the results of hard work without being willing to endure the effort required to achieve them. Proverbs 14:23 says, “In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.” There is value in putting in the necessary effort, even when the results are not immediate or perfect.

A skilled worker may be praised by men and entrusted with responsibilities by rulers, but as Christians, our ultimate aim in our work should be to glorify God. We should strive to become skilled and diligent workers, not so that we can receive praise or recognition, but because our work can be an expression of our worship and obedience to the Lord. Colossians 3:23-24 reads, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” At work, our goal should not be to glorify ourselves or gain others’ approval, but to honor God through the way we work.

In the workplace, we are often surrounded by people who do not know Christ. Some of them may be hardworking, but as believers, our motivation ought to be different. The way we approach our work communicates what is most important to us. When we work diligently and faithfully day in and day out and seek to honor God in our work responsibilities, our coworkers can see that our faith affects even the way we do our jobs. On the other hand, if we claim to love and follow Christ but are lazy, careless, or difficult to work with, our actions can give others a distorted view of the Savior we profess to follow. Our work should therefore reflect what matters most to us: bringing glory to God and honoring Christ in everything we do.

Work is difficult. There will be days when we feel as though we are toiling without seeing any results. There will be days when we feel like we cannot keep going in our jobs. On those days, we must remember that we are not ultimately working for ourselves or for our own glory. We work for the Lord. Therefore, we should strive to be diligent and skillful in our work, following the example of the ant in Proverbs 6, not simply so that others will praise us, but so that our work might bring glory and honor to God. Whatever work God has given us to do, let us do it faithfully, diligently, and for His glory.

– Peter Holmes

Peter is married to Danielle and they have four children. He has been a member at Ninth & O for 12 years and serves as a deacon there