“There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.” — Proverbs 21:20
Lesson
What You Will Learn
- Explain work as part of God's good design (Genesis 2:15)
- Interpret 2 Thessalonians 3:10 in context
- Apply the ant (Proverbs 6:6–8) and Joseph (Genesis 41) to saving
- Balance wise planning with daily trust in God
Lesson Notes
Work Was God's Idea
Before sin entered the world, “the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it” (Genesis 2:15). Work is not a punishment; it is part of how we reflect a working God. “In all labour there is profit” (Proverbs 14:23).
Paul supported himself making tents (Acts 18:3). The woman of Proverbs 31 bought a field and planted a vineyard “with the fruit of her hands” (31:16). Honest work, paid or unpaid, carries dignity.
“If Any Would Not Work”
“For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10). The context matters: some in Thessalonica had stopped working altogether and were “busybodies” (3:11). Paul addressed people who would not work, not people who could not.
Scripture also commands care for those who cannot provide for themselves: the law left the edges of fields for the poor and the stranger to glean (Leviticus 19:9–10). Receiving help during a job search, an illness, or a hard season is not shameful. The goal is willing, honest work where it is possible.
The Ant and Joseph
“Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, Provideth her meat in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest” (Proverbs 6:6–8). The ant prepares without being forced and saves in good seasons for hard ones.
In Genesis 41, Joseph interpreted Pharaoh's dream of seven years of plenty followed by seven of famine. He advised storing a fifth part of the harvest in the plentiful years (41:34), so “that the land perish not through the famine” (41:36). His saving protected his whole nation, including the family that had once betrayed him.
Planning With Open Hands
Joseph and the rich fool both stored grain. The difference was purpose and humility. Joseph saved to protect others and gave God the credit (41:16); the rich fool hoarded for himself and assumed tomorrow was his.
Scripture also teaches daily dependence. God gave manna day by day in the wilderness (Exodus 16), and Jesus taught us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11). We plan, and we say, “If the Lord will” (James 4:15). Saving is wisdom; hoarding from fear is not. (FFS 232 covers the practical side of saving and budgeting.)
Key Terms
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Provision | What God supplies, often through our work and others' generosity |
| Diligence | Steady, careful effort |
| Foresight | Seeing and preparing for future needs |
| Hoarding | Storing up out of fear or selfishness rather than wisdom |
In-Class Activities
Joseph's Plan
Read Genesis 41:33–36. List each step Joseph proposed. Beside each, write what it could look like in a household today.
Ant or Rich Fool?
Label each Wise planning, Hoarding, or No planning:
- Saving a little from each paycheck for car repairs. 2. Refusing to help a hungry friend because “I might need it someday.” 3. Spending a tax refund the day it arrives with no plan. 4. Setting aside money in a good month for a slow month. 5. Keeping a secret stash so no one can ever ask for help. 6. Buying school supplies ahead during the summer.
Assignment: A Theology of Work and Saving
Write one page:
- What work means to you in light of Genesis 2:15 and Colossians 3:23.
- One “Joseph step”: a saving habit you will build, its purpose, and who it will protect.
- A two- or three-sentence prayer that holds planning and trust together.
Graded with the Module Assignment Rubric.
Reflection Journal
Joseph's saving protected the very family that had hurt him. Who might your faithful planning protect someday? Where do you need to trust God for today's bread while you plan for tomorrow?
Prayer focus: Thank God for the gift of work, and ask for the wisdom of the ant and the humility of Joseph.
Weekly Reading & Devotions
The Ant and the Dreamer
Work was God's idea before anything went wrong in the world. He placed the first people in a garden “to dress it and to keep it” (Genesis 2:15). Whatever work is ahead of you, whether stocking shelves, answering phones, cleaning, or caring for others, it carries dignity when it is done honestly and as unto the Lord.
Proverbs points us to a tiny teacher: the ant. No one stands over her with orders, yet she gathers in summer what she will need in winter. Saving is simply that: preparing in good seasons for hard ones.
Joseph knew both betrayal and prison before he stood before Pharaoh. God gave him wisdom to store grain in seven good years so that a whole nation, including the brothers who had sold him, would survive seven years of famine. His saving became a rescue.
Your saving may start very small. That is fine. A little set aside each week can someday be the difference between a crisis and an inconvenience for you and your children. Plan like Joseph, trust like the Israelites gathering manna, and remember that God is the One who provides.
Think About It
- What kind of work do you hope God opens for you? ______________________
- Who might your faithful saving protect someday? ______________________
- Where do you need to trust God for today's bread? ______________________
Daily Devotions for Week 4
To Dress and to Keep
And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it.— Genesis 2:15 (KJV)
Work is part of God's good design. Your work matters to Him.
Reflect: How can you see your work as a calling?
Pray: Lord, bless the work of my hands.
Do: Do one task today as an offering to God.
Go to the Ant
Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise:— Proverbs 6:6 (KJV)
The ant prepares without being told. Wisdom looks ahead.
Reflect: What is one way you can prepare for the future?
Pray: Lord, give me the wisdom of the ant.
Do: Set aside something small, even a few coins, for later.
Treasure in the Dwelling
There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.— Proverbs 21:20 (KJV)
The wise keep a reserve. Saving is wisdom, not fear.
Reflect: What would a reserve mean for your peace of mind?
Pray: Lord, help me save wisely.
Do: Write a purpose for your first emergency savings.
Profit in Labour
In all labour there is profit: but the talk of the lips tendeth only to penury.— Proverbs 14:23 (KJV)
Talking about change is easy. Steady work brings fruit.
Reflect: What have you been talking about doing?
Pray: Lord, help me act, not just talk.
Do: Take one concrete step on a goal today.
Daily Bread
Give us this day our daily bread.— Matthew 6:11 (KJV)
We plan, and we still depend on God for each day.
Reflect: What do you need from God today?
Pray: Lord, give me today what I need, and help me trust You for tomorrow.
Do: Pray the Lord's Prayer slowly today.
Module Quiz
- 1.
According to Genesis 2:15, work began:
- 2.
2 Thessalonians 3:10 addresses people who:
- 3.
Joseph advised Pharaoh to store what portion in the plentiful years?
- 4.
Saving for the future shows a lack of faith in God.
- 5.
What does the ant teach about saving (Proverbs 6:6–8)?