Work and Restनमुना

Work should be valued and rewarded

The text from Leviticus is about the relationship between an employer and his employee. In many situations, the employer will have more money and more power or authority than the hired worker. But this should never lead to oppression or exploitation. Laban did exploit his son-in-law Jacob. Jacob worked for him for more than twenty years, but Laban tried to cheat him all the time. Then God told Jacob to leave. This situation of injustice should not go on forever.

God greatly values justice and mercy, no matter one’s social position. Having a high position is never an excuse for exploiting others. This is stressed in Deuteronomy 24:14-15: “You shall not oppress a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether he is one of your brothers or one of the sojourners who are in your land within your towns. You shall give him his wages on the same day, before the sun sets (for he is poor and counts on it), lest he cry against you to the Lord, and you be guilty of sin”.

Most of us probably won’t be in the position of hiring workers and paying employees’ wages every day might not be the best option in many contexts. But we are all somehow part of an economic system that might be more or less fair.

 How could today’s Bible verse be applied to your situation? How could you contribute to economic justice?