[Steve Myers] Why do you work? Well, most of us would certainly answer the question, well, I need to provide. I need to provide for myself, I need to provide for my family, I've got bills to pay, I've gotta take care of my mortgage or my rent, I've gotta put food on the table. Those are the normal answers and those are all good things, we do need to provide. God says that we're supposed to do that, if we don't provide for our own Paul told Timothy, "We're worse than an unbeliever." (1 Timothy 5:8)

So we do have to provide, but is that the only reason why we work? The Apostle Paul gives us some insight into an important reason that may not normally come to mind, and it's over in the book of Ephesians 4:28. He's giving some instructions on how we can be more Christ-like, how we need to grow more Godly in our character and he says, "Let him who stole steal no more, but rather let him labor."

So we do need to work, we need to work and take care of ourselves, we can't have dishonest gain. Can't have it that way. So he says, "Working with his own hands what is good," so there's that concept I've gotta put food on the table, I've gotta pay the rent those kinds of things. But then he concludes the thought by saying that "He may have something to give him who has need." So he's expanding this idea of why do we work? Is it only for selfish reasons? Is it only to put bread on the table? Is it only to pay the rent? You see the Apostle Paul saying, "An important reason we work is to give, and to share, and to fill others' needs."

And so we see in a sense the working of the commandments here that first as a Christian I have to provide for my own family. I have to love God, provide for my own. But he also says I have to provide for others and help others that are in need, so it's that fulfilling of the commandment, love my neighbor. Love my neighbor as myself. So let's remember this principle that we need to work and then recognize the fact I have to help others, I should serve others, I should certainly work also in order to give to him who has need. 

That's BT Daily, we'll see you next time.