All who work deserve to receive their wages. No matter what kind of labour people do, they deserve to receive the wage that is due them. The amount people receive in exchange for their labour is very precious to them, for it is the product of their efforts.

God and Work

Did you know that God Himself instituted work?

• In Genesis 1:16, we read that God made man so that he could "have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the livestock, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." (MEV)

• In Genesis 2:15, we read that, "The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to till it and to keep it." (MEV) This is the second time we read God giving man some work.

• In Genesis 2:19, we read God bringing animals to Adam "to see what he would call them. Whatever the man called every living creature, that was its name." So again, work.

• In Genesis 2:18 we read God thinking of giving the man a helper, and so in verses 21-22 we read of Him making Eve, Adam's helper in life. This gives us the idea that God wants us to share our workloads and burdens with our spouses.

God and Wages

Friends, did you know that God also instituted the idea of wages?

Before the fall, man's focus was only to work and not think of his wages. Man found all that he needed in the place where God put him (see Genesis 2:16). However, after the fall, God told man that he will need to work so that he could receive food to eat and live (see Genesis 3:17-19).

By this we realise that a person's wages matter to God. Do you realise that the payment you receive in exchange for your labour matters to Him?

• Workers, you need to realise that God wants you to receive your well-deserved wages. In fact, He wants to bless you with more than just that. He gives you the power to earn wealth so that you could praise Him (see Deuteronomy 8:18; 1 Timothy 6:17)

• Bosses or employers, God wants you to pay your workers fairly. He doesn't want you cheating on them (see James 5:4), and neither does He want you forcing them to work without their just pay or compensation (see Deuteronomy 25:4).

• Companies that deny salaries due to their workers who have rendered services are included. We must, in reverence to Christ, treat each other the way we want to be treated (see Luke 6:31).

Our Wages Matter to God

Friends, we all need to realise that wages are very important to God. All of us have one common wage we all deserve:

"For the wages of sin is death..."

God, however, is good and wants us all to be saved. And so,

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23)

If God gave us the best gift in the world through the death and resurrection of His Son, we should at least respond to His kindness by giving what is due to whom it is due. Let's all honour God.