Oh, This Work

The time comes when by age the teenager gains the right to work and can earn money with his hands. By law in many countries this is permitted from ages 15-16, but with limited working time, as the young organism isn't yet accustomed to heavy loads, and consciousness doesn't yet understand the imposed responsibility.

A teenager's work activity isn't just external activity and the opportunity to earn, but the formation of his soul and character, tastes, worldview, and spiritual maturity. This is the final transition to adult, independent life with personal responsibility before others and with many prospects that previously seemed very distant. The teenager begins to understand the value of money and the value of his efforts in acquiring it. Instead of allotted pocket money, he receives what he invested his labor and knowledge in. This process humbles, teaches much, and shows that he isn't the center of the Universe where everyone takes care of him, but part of a large community where everyone is busy with useful business.

A teenager's work activity is a multi-layered topic affecting spiritual, mental, and physical spheres of life, forming correct understanding of himself and the surrounding world. This isn't something new for the teenager, as many of his acquaintances have already shared their work experience, but when the young person himself plunges into the world of work, he makes many new discoveries and frees himself from egocentric peculiarities.

God didn't create man for idle life. Even one of the commandments says: "Six days you shall labor and do all your work..." (Ex. 20:9).

Wise parents from earliest childhood accustom their children to work—these can be household and domestic duties, as well as work outside the home or participation in church projects, where the child becomes acquainted with the real world and its concerns.

There's a difference between simply assigning some work to the teenager, checking its completion and stopping there, and explaining the benefit of such labor, praising, telling why this is important, and asking whether it was interesting for the son or daughter to complete the task. There are certain tasks, but there's also motive—and it plays an important role in personality formation. Everything done with joy and from the heart brings satisfaction to body and consciousness.

Certain hormones are placed in us that bring deep satisfaction to the soul from completed work and awareness of the value of one's labor.

When the teenager sees the fruit of his labor or can touch it, dopamine is produced in his body, which rewards the mind with special joy.

When the young worker realizes the benefit of his labor, serotonin is produced in the organism, bringing the soul feelings of value, need, and acceptance.

If the teenager works in fresh air, experiences physical load, is in pleasant company where they love to joke and inspire each other, endorphin is produced in his organism—the hormone of joy, creating wonderful mood. Even after heavy labor the teenager can feel lightness and satisfaction.

When the young worker receives praise, kind embraces, and feeling of being needed, oxytocin is produced in his body—the hormone of love and friendship.

Payment for work is also a powerful stimulus prompting a person to work even in cases when the work itself isn't to his liking. If physical labor is well paid, zeal and enthusiasm appear, and you wonder how ordinary pieces of paper can inspire great deeds. But there's nothing more destructive than promise of payment and subsequent deception with withholding earned funds.

If the teenager isn't accustomed to working with hands and hasn't seen an example in his home, if he doesn't understand the meaning of his work, if he spends most of his time on social networks or computer games, if he doesn't receive praise and reward for work—he's unlikely to develop zeal for work. And exit from such a state of mind doesn't happen in one day.

Training for work can begin with small things—by the principle: "It was empty—it became beautiful." Don't expect big results—give small assignments, but so that the teenager sees the result of his work.

If he prepared something in the kitchen—enjoy the result aloud, praise the young cook, tell friends how deliciously you were fed. This forms in the teenager's consciousness love for work and awareness of being needed.

It's useful to teach the teenager to do everything with quality, as for the Lord, even if the work isn't paid or evaluated in money. Such an approach forms correct thinking. Encourage striving for qualification improvement, for learning new types of work, for accepting responsibility.

Attentive attitude toward work and explanation of the benefit of any work can become a powerful stimulus. For example:

• "It's shameful not to clean up dirt after yourself, but to live in dirt."

• "By cleaning the house, you make it cozy and beautiful."

• "You sewed such a beautiful outfit today—I think such things are hard to find in stores."

• "You helped me so much in the kitchen—I can't imagine how I would have managed without you."

• "Can you imagine how much joy those people are now experiencing whom you helped today!"

Let your words be truthful and correspond to what they're said for.

The Bible also contains many words of support and praise for those who work with their hands. Read them to your children—let them know how God values work.

It's worth paying attention to dangers connected with the teenager's work activity. It's important that in pursuit of money he doesn't abandon studies, that money doesn't become the meaning of life. That the chosen work doesn't undermine health and doesn't destroy the psyche. That consciousness isn't controlled by fear of losing work. That he doesn't become proud from prosperity, doesn't begin saving money for the sake of accumulation, that work doesn't displace spiritual and family values. That overwork or stress from difficult conditions doesn't occur.

Timely questions, instructions, and communication about this or that work can change much and help the teenager look at what's happening in a new way.

It's important that the teenager sees spiritual direction and meaning of his work, because without spiritual goals work can become a trap for the soul and give distorted meaning to everything he does.

It's important that work doesn't become an idol or substitute for spiritual values. But at the same time it shouldn't become punishment or heavy duty. Healthy work helps the teenager see his value, significance, receive satisfaction and joy, which inspires him for further work. It's worth remembering that physical work is part of worship to God, as the wise Creator who put such wonderful laws into human nature.

Correct attitude toward work will help the teenager enter adult life with dignity with firm confidence and acquired skills, and not fear those trials that growing up will offer him.

Wise parents not only encourage their children's work activity, but also help them find spiritual meaning and joy of service in work. Remember: how the teenager relates to work today will largely determine his future attitude toward life, family, and God in subsequent life.

1. Please read Gen. 2:15; Col. 3:23; Prov. 6:6-8; 10:4; 13:4; 14:23; 22:29; Eccl. 3:13; 5:12; 9:10-11; 1 Cor. 10:31; 2 Thess. 3:10; James 5:4; Eph. 4:28, in light of this lesson.

2. What other verses from the Bible came to your mind?

3. What was revealed to you in this chapter?

4. Why did God give man the commandment to work even before the fall?

5. What connection exists between work and worship of God?

6. How to understand the expression "work as for the Lord" in modern conditions?

7. What character traits does physical work develop that are impossible to obtain another way?

8. What inner qualities are formed when the teenager overcomes unwillingness to work?

9. How to teach the teenager to find joy in any work?

10. What to do if the teenager works only under compulsion?

11. How to help the teenager not lose spiritual values in pursuit of material success?

12. How to resist the negative influence of consumer society on the teenager?

13. How does work experience in adolescence affect all further life?

14. How to help the teenager find his calling through work?