Work is an exchange. We give labor in return for a well-earned reward. This reward isn't always a paycheck. Fathers and mothers give themselves in exchange, with God's help, for the reward of fair compensation. Diligent parenting can bring great joy (Prov. 15:20; 29:15). A similar principle holds true for volunteer work. All worthy work is undertaken in the hope of bearing some fruit for yourself or others.
Clearly it doesn't work this way with God. We approach him not as workers demanding compensation (Rom. 4:1–5) but as children held in his firm hand. But the fact that Paul has to make a distinction with how we approach God confirms the transactional nature of ordinary labor.
Here's the problem: especially in our day many people feel entitled to a good life regardless of what they are able to give in exchange. Many people take it as a given that they will have a better standard of living than their parents. But we think too little of what we have to offer the world, what we are bringing to the bargaining table. Put bluntly, "You need to be good at something before you can expect a good job."
And this is not an unspiritual matter. Being "good at something" is lauded in the Scriptures from cover to cover. Proverbs 31 is a prime example. It is no wonder that her household flourished; she is a picture of godly wisdom, character, and competence. What we should ask is, "How did she become the woman extolled as the premier example of everything taught in the previous 30 chapters of Proverbs?" How can young people come to have something to offer?
