Earning with Integrity
About 11 minutes, plus hands-on activity and discussion.
Think about it
Have you ever been tempted to take the easy way out? For example, have you ever told you parents you cleaned your room when you really just shoved everything in the closet? Or maybe you’ve thought, “No one will know if I don’t do this job all the way, as long as it looks like I finished.”
We’ve learned before that integrity means doing what’s right, even when no one is watching. God doesn’t only care that we work, He also cares how we work. What matters most to Him is the honesty, attitude, and effort we bring to the job.
Guess what? In just two more lessons, we’ll start learning real ways you can earn money at home. But first, it’s important to understand why honesty and integrity matter so much when we work. Let’s dive in to today’s lesson.
Let’s Learn
Joseph’s Example
In our last lesson, we saw how Joseph worked with integrity in Potiphar’s house and even in prison. Because he was honest and faithful, the people he worked for trusted him with more and more responsibility. Joseph showed us that integrity honors God and builds trust, and usually results in good rewards.
Jacob’s Story: Working with Integrity
In the book of Genesis, chapters 29-31, we learn about Jacob. Jacob was Joseph’s father. Before Joseph was born, Jacob had his own lessons to learn about working with integrity.
When Jacob traveled far from home to live with his uncle, Laban, he met Rachel, Laban’s daughter, and loved her immediately. Jacob wanted to marry Rachel, so he made an agreement: he would work seven years taking care of Laban’s sheep in exchange for her hand in marriage.
Sheep herding was not easy work! Jacob had to lead the flocks to good pastures, protect them from wild animals, and make sure they had water. He worked in the hot sun by day and stayed awake at night watching over them. Jacob gave his best effort, because he loved Rachel and wanted to keep his promise.
“So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.” —Genesis 29:20
At the end of seven years, Jacob asked to marry Rachel. But Laban tricked him and gave him Leah, Rachel’s older sister, instead. Jacob was upset, but instead of quitting or getting revenge, he agreed to work another seven years for Rachel. Once again, Jacob showed integrity. He kept working hard, even when treated unfairly.
In all, Jacob worked for Laban for twenty years. Laban tried to change his wages many times, but Jacob remained faithful. God saw Jacob’s integrity and blessed him with healthy flocks, many children, and great wealth.
“I have served your father with all my strength, yet your father has cheated me by changing my wages ten times. However, God has not allowed him to harm me.” —Genesis 31:6–7
And here’s something amazing: through Jacob’s family line, many years later—about 1,700 years later—came Jesus, the Savior of the world. God’s plan of salvation was carried forward through a man who chose to work with integrity.
The Opposite of Integrity: The Moneychangers
Not everyone in the Bible worked with integrity. We find the story of the moneychangers in Matthew 21:12–13 and John 2:13–16.
When Jesus entered the temple courts in Jerusalem, He found people buying and selling animals for sacrifices. That wasn’t the whole problem though. The sellers were cheating buyers by charging unfair prices. They turned God’s house, a place of worship, into a marketplace to get rich.
Jesus was so upset at their dishonesty that He overturned their tables and drove them out, saying, “My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of thieves!”
“Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves.” —Matthew 21:12
This story shows us how seriously God takes integrity. He doesn’t want us to cheat, lie, or use unfair ways to earn money. Earning dishonestly is never okay in God’s eyes.
What We Learn from Jacob and the Moneychangers
Our work shows our heart. When we choose integrity, we show that we love God and others more than money.
Integrity pleases God. Jacob worked faithfully, even when treated unfairly.
Integrity is often rewarded. Our honesty and trustworthiness can lead to more responsibility, stronger relationships, and God’s blessing.
The Choice
Every time you have the opportunity to earn money, or even just to do a job at home, you are faced with a choice. It’s a simple choice, but not always an easy one.
No matter your age, whether you are young or old, whether it’s a big job or a small one, the choice is the same:
Will I do my best work with honesty and integrity, or will I give less than my best?
It really is that simple. But it isn’t easy, because there are always little lies we can tell ourselves to make us feel okay about not being honest.
Lies We Might Tell Ourselves
- “No one will notice if I don’t do it all the way.”
- “They don’t pay me much, so I don’t need to try very hard.”
- “It’s hard and I’m tired, so I’ll just do an OK job.”
- “Other people are lazy too, so it’s fine if I am.”
- “I deserve a break, even if I didn’t finish.”
- “This job isn’t important.”
Truths We Can Tell Ourselves Instead
- “God sees my work, even if no one else does.”
- “My honesty is worth more than money.”
- “Doing less than my best may be easy, but doing my best is right.”
- “I can be proud of myself when I finish with excellence.”
- “People can trust me because I keep my word.”
- “This job is important to the person that asked me to do it. I can show God’s love for them by doing my best work for them.”
Words to Know
Integrity is doing what’s right, even when no one is watching.
Honesty is telling the truth and being fair.
Trust is confidence that someone will do what they say.
Let’s Play!
Drag the Words Game
Instructions: Drag each word to complete the sentences.
Bible Time
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.”
—Colossians 3:23
This verse is asking you to always do your best, because you’re really working for God, not just for people. Even small jobs can honor Him when you do your best.
With Your Grown-Up
If a grown-up or parent is nearby, spend a minute to discuss one or more of these topics.
Hands On
Put learning into action! Download the activity and dive into a fun, practical way to explore today’s lesson.
What we Learned
Integrity means doing what’s right, even when no one is watching. In this lesson, we learned how Jacob worked faithfully for Laban, even when Laban was unfair, and how God blessed him for his honesty. We also saw how Jesus was upset with the moneychangers who cheated people in the temple. Integrity pleases God, builds trust with others, and often leads to rewards for our honesty and hard work. Every time we do a job, big or small, we face a choice: take the easy way out, or honor God by working with integrity.
Check Your Understanding
High-Five!
Hit play for your end-of-lesson video!