Although the Bible doesn’t give us specific hours for our workplace, we do have some guidance. In Matthew 20, Jesus tells a parable of a vineyard owner who hired workers for one day.
All workers worked until 6:00 pm and some likely started at 6:00 am. If the workers observed the Sabbath and worked just six days, their work week could consist of seventy-two hours!
In this parable, some only worked one hour that day, equating to 6 hours a week. Somewhere between six and seventy-two hours a week may be reasonable work boundaries. But Proverbs 12:24 teaches, “The hand of the diligent will rule, but the slack hand will be put to forced labor.”
Our work should embrace our priorities, diligently fulfill our calling, and avoid being a slacker.
