The Work Ethic

3,000 years ago, you would have had to go out and hunt for your food and, if you didn’t do so, you died because there was nothing to eat. Even as little as 100 years ago, you had to work and if you didn’t do so, you ended up resorting to begging or thieving. If you were unable to work, perhaps due to illness, disability or old age, this was just bad luck and many people died as a result. This was rough justice and even those who could work were forced to work until they dropped. There was no thought of retirement.Thankfully, these days have passed and we now have the welfare state. It is totally right that the state should pay money to support people while they are ill or incapable of work and I would endorse this entirely. As retired person myself, I am so pleased that one of my former employers pays me a pension as this takes some of the financial pressure away from me and enables me to work as a volunteer. Praise God for that. However, the fact remains that God has designed us as men and women to work – and we are likely to live much longer and enjoy life much more if we do so. This can either be paid work or it can be voluntary work. The Apostle Paul was a tent maker and he decided that he would continue his profession so that he was not an unnecessary burden on other people. He also recognised that we might not always enjoy the work we have found. In Ephesians 6 v 5 to 9 he says that we should do our work as if we are serving Jesus. In other words, to the best of our ability. Because of this, I am firmly of the belief that people should work if they are able to – and so we encourage the homeless who come to our door and those who live in our houses to find employment. After all, Job Seekers Allowance only pays £60 per week and you can receive so much more by working. In addition, there is the added benefit that you will use the skills that God has given you and you can feel fulfilled as a result. Of course one issue in the Kingston area is that landlords will generally not rent a flat to you unless you are working and are able to pay rent in advance and a deposit. It is not always easy to find employment and so our Access Project houses play a vitally important role by giving clients a two year opportunity to sharpen up their skills, find employment and save towards a deposit. Sometimes, as an initial stage, it is possible to obtain voluntary work - and Kingston Volunteer Centre can help achieve this. This is very helpful because volunteer work can re-establish a work routine in a person’s life and give valuable work experience that can be used to provide a reference for later paid employment. Please pray for our staff as they encourage the work ethic in our clients and pray for opportunities of paid employment and voluntary work which will enable our clients to leave homelessness for good and be fulfilled as they use their skills to the maximum.

Bob Bailey: Editor