Musing – Why People “Have To” Work? Who’s their Master?

Hebraic Musing – Why People “Have To” Work?  Who’s their Master?

Have you ever experienced the difference between having to do something vs. wanting to do something?  The problem often starts with the abusing of the Commandment re coveting back in in Deut. 5:21   "You shall not covet …."    And the Apostle John clarifies this even more in 1 John 2:15-16 – “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For everything in the world — the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does — comes not from the Father but from the world. ”   NIV

In the days when I was growing up, the working-man had a purpose for going to work.  He wanted to buy a car, or make the 20% down payment on a house, and to be the provider for a family.  These were worth-while reasons to go to work, to acquire desirable things!  I took on my first jobs so I could buy a bike and a camera.

God promised His children rich blessings, with a big IF – “For the Lord your God will bless you as he has promised, and you will lend to many nations BUT will borrow from none.  You will rule over many nations but none will rule over you.”  Deut. 15:4-6    And God had to say it again 13 chapters later – “The Lord will open the heavens,… to bless all the work of your hands.  You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none.  The Lord will make you the head, not the tail.  IF you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God….”   Deut. 28:12-13   

Did you get the message?  God does not want His people to borrow, to go into debt, to owe to others…  “Debt” is mentioned 10 times in the bible and the inference is always that debt is “not good”!  And “Labor” is mentioned 92 times and it’s mostly in a “Forced” or “Harsh” tone!

The oppressed had to work and were taken advantage of, thus oppressed & depressed.  What did Nehemiah find the Jews saying when he returned from to Israel from the exile?   "We are mortgaging our fields, our vineyards and our homes to get grain during the famine."   … "We have had to borrow money to pay the king's tax on our fields and vineyards. … we have to subject our sons and daughters to slavery. … we are powerless, because our fields and our vineyards belong to others."   When I heard their outcry and these charges, I was very angry.”    Nehemiah 5:3-6

Key point is summarized in Proverbs 22:7 -- “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender.”    And that is why the popular credit card is called a MASTER CARD.  When in debt, who is the master?  Those in debt become victimized slaves.  “Will not your debtors suddenly arise?  Will they not wake up and make you tremble?  Then you will become their victim.”  Habakkuk 2:7 

And do creditors show mercy?  NO!  “May a creditor seize all he has; may strangers plunder the fruits of his labor.  May no one extend kindness to him or take pity on his fatherless children.” Ps 109:11-12

Points to ponder

Which is more motivating?
(A) Wanting to go to work to buy a car, earn up a house down payment, a vacation. 
(B)  Having to go work so you can make the next car payment,
or to try to pay down the credit card debt from impulsive
 material luxuries like last year’s cruise, and/or
at least to pay down some of the monthly usurious interest!

If you answered “B”, please go back to the top and read this musing again.

The Lord wants to make you the head, not the tail.  (Deut. 28:13)  

“Owe no one anything except to love one another,…”  Rom 13:8 NKJV

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                          July 9, 2019  

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

Additional references to consider - Isa 49:4,  Isa 55:1-2,   Ps 128:1-2,   Rev 17:12-13,   Matt 18:25-34