I have a lot of respect for people who can start their own businesses. They’re able to take a chance and do something new. It’s like rolling the dice. It’s exciting. But they don’t take the safe route. In this area, I’m the opposite. I’m happy working for somebody who’s already started a profitable business. That is partly why I joined the Army. I went with a sure paycheck instead of branching out on my own.
It seems obvious that one of the challenges of starting your own business is finding good employees. From what I understand, this is especially a problem today. I wonder how managers of any business find people they can count on. I hear all kinds of stories about employees, especially young ones, not showing up for work or doing substandard work. If I were a business owner, that would drive me crazy. I’d lose sleep over it.
I’m sure that any business owner would love the good employee. I have often heard people say that in today’s business climate, if you work hard, the sky’s the limit. The hard worker will be rewarded by his boss.
According to the book of Proverbs, that has always been the case. Proverbs 27:18 says, “Whoever keeps the fig tree will eat its fruit; so he who waits on his master will be honored.” From what I understand, a fig tree needs a lot of attention if it is going to produce a good crop. I assume that means a lot of pruning, watering, fertilizing, and harvesting.
Only a conscientious and hardworking employee will make a profit from such a tree. Imagine if you had started a business raising fig trees. Then imagine that you had a worker who could cause those trees to be full of figs. That worker was willing to do the hard work to bring you great profit. What would you think about him?
The proverb tells us: His master, the owner of the trees, will honor him. It says that the employee will eat from the fruit of the trees. This indicates that the boss will pay him for the figs the trees produce. Keeping such an employee implies pay raises, as well as greater responsibility, for such a valuable person. The owner will highly praise him.
The principle expressed here is that the faithful servant will be rewarded. He will be honored by his owner, or boss. What is true in the business world is true in the spiritual world as well. In Matt 24:45-47, the Lord is telling the disciples that every believer is His employee. The Lord is the Owner. He has given us hard work to do. It is difficult to be a servant of the Lord in this world. It is more difficult than taking care of a fig tree.
What will the Lord do for a diligent and conscientious employee? He tells the disciples that He will greatly honor him. In His kingdom, he will be promoted and given more responsibility. The sky will be the limit.
Proverbs 27:18 says that the employee will be rewarded for his good works. He will get better and better paychecks. This is true for the world to come. The Owner of that kingdom will pay those who have done good work for Him (Rev 22:12).
If you own a business, or are the boss of one, how do you treat the hardworking employee? You reward, praise, and promote him. That is the way the Lord looks at us. May we look for His praise and promotion in His kingdom.
