Jobs, Businesses and Investments

I hope we all had a good Easter with family and friends, and that we took time to reflect on Jesus' sacrifice that brought us salvation. As we go about our daily work, I want us to be reminded that work is part of our DNA as God's creation.  

God is introduced to us in Genesis 1:1 as One who is working and investing: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” The rest of Genesis 1 and 2 detail His work, which includes creation of the first human, Adam. In keeping with His culture of work, God put Adam in the Garden of Eden to cultivate and watch over it. He also instructed Adam to name the animals. 

Jesus Christ worked as a carpenter; and after He was accused by the Jewish leaders for healing the paralytic at the pool of Bethesda on a Sabbath day, He said: “My Father has been working until now, and I have been working” (John 5:17). 

Apostle Paul, who wrote majority of the epistles in the New Testament, was a tentmaker and used his trade to support his ministry. The importance of work is found in 2 Thessalonians 3:10: “If a man will not work, he shall not eat.” God made humans in His image and after His likeness, which includes a drive for work. 

Our work may include a calling/ministry, employment (voluntary or paid), business or investment. God is interested in our work and gives us power to make wealth, to establish His covenant with us. Our work enables us to cater for our needs, be of benefit to society and advance God’s kingdom. God’s power to help us create wealth includes unique and unconventional strategies, an example of which is recorded in Genesis 30:25–43. When the time came for Jacob to leave Laban, his uncle, Laban asked him to name his wages so he could repay him for his services to him over the years he worked for him. God gave Jacob a strategy of which type of cattle to ask for and what breeding technique to use and in verse 43 we read: “Thus the man became exceedingly prosperous, and had large flocks, female and male servants, and camels and donkeys.” 

Isaac, Abraham’s son, was about to immigrate to Egypt because of famine in Gerar, the land of the Philistines, where he lived. God’s strategy was for him to stay and farm the land. He obeyed, and in Genesis 26:12–14, we read: “Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the Lord blessed him. The man began to prosper, and continued prospering until he became very prosperous; for he had possessions of flocks and possessions of herds and a great number of servants. So the Philistines envied him.”

Apostle Peter and his companions had been fishing all night and caught no fish, when Jesus said to them: ‘“Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they did, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish caught in the net’ (John 21:6).  

In all our work, we need power and strategy from God to create wealth. We should also work hard/smart, knowing that we are not only working for our employers but for God, from whom we will get the rewards for our work. Followers of Jesus have added responsibilities: good work ethic, being good stewards of our finances, and giving generously to the work of God. 

We should also realise that much as we get paid a salary, other forms of remuneration, or returns on our work, God is our Provider, not our jobs, businesses or investments. He has promised to supply all our needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus, and He also delights in our prosperity.

As we navigate the various employment and business environments, we should also pray that we will make an impact for the kingdom of God.