Your Work Shall Be Rewarded

One of the important principles of the gospel is that of our need to work.  There are many Restoration scriptures which teach about the need to work for ourselves and avoid idleness.  In the revelation containing the law of the Lord, we read, “Thou shalt not be idle; for he that is idle shall not eat the bread nor wear the garments of the laborer” (D&C 42:42).  The Lord condemned those who seek to avoid work by taking what others have: “Wo unto you poor men, whose hearts are not broken, whose spirits are not contrite, and whose bellies are not satisfied, and whose hands are not stayed from laying hold upon other men’s goods, whose eyes are full of greediness, and who will not labor with your own hands!” (D&C 56:17).  We are taught that man should “cease to be idle,” “act for himself” and “be anxiously engaged in a good cause” (D&C 88:24, 2 Nephi 2:16, D&C 58:27). In the Book of Mormon the when the Lamanites rejected the gospel and turned to wickedness “they did become and idle people,” whereas when they repented “rather than spend their days in idleness they would labor abundantly with their hands” (2 Nephi 5:24, Alma 24:18).  True conversion to the gospel motivates people to avoid idleness and to embrace work. 

                Some of the strongest language regarding the importance of work and avoiding idleness is actually in the Bible.  The Lord told Adam very directly, “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground” (Genesis 3:19).  The writer of the book of Proverbs clearly felt very strongly about the topic: “An idle soul shall suffer hunger” (Proverbs 19:15).  To the lazy he gave this invitation: “Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest” (Proverbs 6:6-8).  Another verse addressed the “sluggard” as well, saying “The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing: but the soul of the diligent shall be made fat” (Proverbs 13:4).  In an entitlement society that expects more and more to be given in exchange for nothing, the Bible’s words provide much needed counsel.  Paul clearly felt strongly about the subject.  To the Thessalonians he wrote, “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10).  To Timothy we have this very direct condemnation of those who won’t work to provide for their families: “But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel” (1 Timothy 5:8).

                The Savior showed I think His feelings about slothfulness in the parable of the talents.  The man who buried his talent and did nothing with it during the time the lord was away was severely chastised: “Thou wicked and slothful servant…. Cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness” (Matt. 25:26).  The Lord expects us to work and do the very best with what we have—what’s important to Him is not our “increase” but rather the “sacrifice” that we make to both provide temporally for our needs and to work as laborers in the kingdom of God (see D&C 117:13).  We must never let ourselves fall prey to the culture of entitlement around us and seek to shun work.  Rather we should let the words of the Spirit (spoken through Azariah) be our guide: “Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded” (2 Chronicles 15:7).