Countless "Now Hiring" signs are appearing in towns all across America. Yet patrons of thousands of restaurants in the U.S. are likely to see empty tables at which they cannot be seated because there aren't enough servers to wait on them. Some argue it's because the federal government continues to shell out a $300-a-week federal unemployment benefit, which comes on top of state jobless aid, causing many people to opt for the money and sit at home rather than go back to work.
Just this week, according to The Associated Press, complaints by companies that they can't find enough workers have led 22 states to prematurely end that benefit.
Speaking Thursday on American Family Radio, Christian author and apologist Dr. Alex McFarland pointed out that work is a gift from God.
"The Bible has a lot to say about work," he began. "Proverbs 10 says 'The blessing of the Lord brings wealth' – but it goes on and says there's work that goes with it. 'Diligent hands rule, but laziness ends in forced labor,' says Proverbs 12:24."
He went on to say it's wrong for people to depend long-term on a handout if they're able to work. "I actually think that the welfare state and incentivizing unemployment and paying people to stay home … I think it's immoral," he offered.
The U.S. government started offering unemployment in the 1930s. McFarland contends that's resulted in a temptation to abuse the benefit.
"It's dehumanizing," he told the radio audience. "To give people bare subsistence and pay them enough to stay home that they don't go seek gainful employment, that's not compassionate. It really enslaves people."
The apologist notes that humans, according to scripture, were made to work. For Adam, it was a joy – and the drudgery and monotony now typically attributed to it has only been since The Fall.
"I want to say in the strongest possible terms, work is a blessing. Work is a gift from God," he explained. "Whether you're a business person or an educator or you're doing what they used to call 'entry level jobs,' it's such a gift that you can trade time and skill for money. Isn't that a blessing?"
