I’m gonna be brutally honest with you today. You might not like what I have to say, but you need to hear it anyway.

We live in a world of lazy people who feel entitled. They think they can get something for nothing.

But the Bible says, if you don’t work, you don’t eat.

“For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.”
– 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12

The Bible describes people who don’t work as “disorderly”. That means they are lacking organization, and they are contributing to the breakdown of society. It also means they’re not behaving properly.

Lazy people who don’t do their part are not behaving properly and they are contributing to the breakdown of the community they are part of.

Think about it. People steal because they want something they can’t afford to buy. People cheat and swindle others because they are greedy for quick and easy gain that they didn’t have to work hard for. Also consider the jobs that don’t get done because people refuse to do the work. Houses don’t get painted because the owner is lazy, so the house slowly rots to the ground. Yards don’t get mowed because the owner is lazy.

We had a neighbor one time who planted his whole yard with monkey grass and let it grow tall, just so he didn’t have to mow it.

Lazy people are a burden to those who work hard, because the lazy person expects someone else to do the work for them. They even act incompetent at times so they can get out of doing the work. It’s easy to remain incompetent, but it takes work to learn how to do be self-sufficient.

It’s ok to ask for help when you don’t know what to do, but have them teach you how to do it yourself so you can take care of it in the future.

I hear people talk about how lazy millennials are, and how terrible their work ethic is, and it’s true. But, it’s not just millennials who have this problem of laziness. I’ve met people of all ages who don’t want to work. I also know some millennials who can outwork everyone around them. So, don’t fool yourself into thinking it’s a generational issue.

It’s a laziness issue, and it’s an entitlement issue.

I’ve also heard people try to justify their laziness by saying they are “trusting God to provide for their needs.”

That’s the most spiritual sounding excuse for laziness that I’ve ever heard.

Yes, it’s true that God will provide for your needs, the Bible says so. But that provision requires you to do the work. God gave the promised land to the children of Israel, but they were expected to till the land, plant the crops, and reap the harvest.

In the same manner, God has given all of us the ability to work and the responsibility to work, and when we do the work, His provision comes.

You don’t understand the Bible if you think you can be a lazy bum and expect God to provide for you. He doesn’t exist to serve you. He isn’t your slave.

We were created to serve Him. God put Adam in the garden to tend the garden.

“Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.”
– Genesis 2:15

God put Adam in the garden to work the garden and take care of it. Adam wasn’t put there to just eat fruit all day and relax. Adam had work to do.

You’ve probably heard the phrase, “God helps those who help themselves.” It’s not Scripture, but it’s loosely based on Biblical principles, such as the verse I read earlier, “if a man doesn’t work, he doesn’t eat.”

People like to talk about having a good work ethic, but what does that mean? Ethics are a set of moral principles that guide our conduct. So, work ethics are moral principles relating to work that guide our conduct.

These ethics include things like equal weights and measures, paying someone the wages they are due, not stealing, not bribing or taking bribes from anyone, showing up to work on time, and actually being faithful to do the work you were asked to do. If you agreed to start your job at 8:00, then you need to be on time. If you are expected to work for 8 hours, don’t be lazy by only doing 4 hours worth of work.

People want to talk about moral principles, but they ignore what the Bible teaches about work ethics.

The Bible says we are supposed to work for six days and rest on the 7th.

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.”
– Exodus 20:8-11

“Six days you shall do your work, and on the seventh day you shall rest, that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female servant and the stranger may be refreshed.”
– Exodus 23:12

If you aren’t working six days, then you can’t claim to keep the Sabbath. If you’re not working for six days, then what sets the Sabbath apart as a day of rest? By not working six days, you’re failing to set apart the Sabbath, and therefore breaking the Sabbath commandment.

Let me say it again, if you don’t work six days, then you’re not keeping the Sabbath.

The Bible also says you reap what you sow, but if you aren’t sowing anything, then how can you expect to reap anything?

“The lazy man will not plow because of winter; He will beg during harvest and have nothing.”
– Proverbs 20:4

If you don’t put in the work, how can you expect to have the provisions you need? A lazy person should not expect to have anything, because they didn’t put in the work to attain anything.

The Bible says a worker is worthy of his wages.

“For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer is worthy of his wages.”
– 1 Timothy 5:18

If you are the worker, then you should expect to get paid for your work. But also remember that if someone else is working for you, then you are expected to pay them for that work. A worker is worthy of his wages. You don’t want to work for free, so don’t expect others to work for nothing.

Paul is using this in the context of Bible teachers being worthy of their wages. I only mention this because there are a lot of people who seem to think Preachers and teachers shouldn’t get any money for their labor. This particular verse speaks about Elders who labor in the word, teaching Biblical doctrine to others.

“Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer is worthy of his wages.”
– 1 Timothy 5:17-18

We see a similar statement in 1 Corinthians about those who preach the Gospel.

“Who ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock? Do I say these things as a mere man? Or does not the law say the same also. For it is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.” Is it oxen God is concerned about? Or does He say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope. If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things? If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more? Nevertheless we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of Christ. Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar? Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.
– 1 Corinthians 9:7-14

People are willing to pay for secular work that is done for them, but those same people are unwilling to compensate someone for the spiritual work they do. It seems like their priorities might be out of order.

Work ethic is about doing what is right, both as the employee and as the employer.

Another thing to consider is that many lazy people have jobs. I’m not just talking about jobless bums who sit on the couch eating Cheeto’s all day.

There are lots of lazy people who have jobs and go to work every day, but they don’t do their best. They show up and go through the motions, but they don’t actually apply themselves to the work.

The Bible tells us to work as if we are working for the LORD.

“And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.”
– Colossians 3:23-24

Whatever your job is, you should work hard, as if you’re working for the LORD.

“Commit your works to the Lord, And your thoughts will be established.”
– Proverbs 16:3

When you just do the bare minimum, you’re being lazy. Lazy people don’t deserve to get a pay increase or a job promotion. In all reality, lazy people are stealing from the company, because they’re getting paid for work they aren’t doing.

The Bible teaches us that laziness leads to poverty.

“I went by the field of the lazy man, And by the vineyard of the man devoid of understanding; And there it was, all overgrown with thorns; Its surface was covered with nettles; Its stone wall was broken down. When I saw it, I considered it well; I looked on it and received instruction: A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest; So shall your poverty come like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.”
– Proverbs 24:30-34

Poverty can be overcome by diligent work, but if you are unwilling to put in the work, then poverty will overtake you. A lazy person is described here as a man devoid of understanding. In other words, a lazy person is a fool, because they don’t understand that their laziness will lead to their poverty.

Don’t be lazy. Work hard.
Work as if you’re working for the LORD.
Work for six days and enjoy the day of rest on the Sabbath.
A worker is worthy of his wages, but a lazy person who sows nothing will have nothing to reap.