130 | Foundations for A Godly Life: Teach Your Children to Honour Work

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.” (Colossians 3:23)
“In all labour there is profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.” (Proverbs 14:23)

What My Father Taught Me Without Saying a Word

Some may find this odd because I am a woman, but one of my fondest memories of childhood was washing cars with my sister. Yes, you read that right. We’d wake up early and clean the cars before my dad and step mom left for work. Sometimes my dad joined us, and we laughed so much together. It wasn’t just about the task, it was the bond, the joy, the shared sense of responsibility.

I also loved ironing my dad’s lab coat and a few of his shirts. It wasn’t frequent, but those moments filled me with pride. Maybe I just loved my dad so much that doing things for him gave me joy. But looking back now, I see how those simple acts helped build in me a resilient, excellent spirit.

I watched my dad work hard, study, prepare for exams, and grow consistently until he became a Consultant Surgeon. Nothing was handed to him on a platter. He modelled discipline and excellence and that became my framework for what life should look like. I saw my dad and stepmom work hard in their professions and still show up for home.

As children, we helped in the kitchen, even though we weren’t doing the cooking, we stood and watched, we supported my step mom whenever she needed help. We did all the dishes at home; every single one. I particularly handled the bulk of it, and one rule we lived by was no dirty dishes left in the sink overnight. That discipline shaped me.

Even tasks like opening the gate? We had no security man. We did it ourselves. And we watched our parents do it too; no airs, no complaints. That left an imprint on my soul. We also did our own laundry, kept our rooms and wardrobes neat, and even helped our parents arrange their own clothes. I can still see the smile on my stepmother’s face when she came back to a tidy, transformed bedroom and I genuinely loved it. It wasn’t a burden to me. It was joy. Maybe I wasn’t your “typical child,” but I believe starting young helped me see housework as honouring my home not punishment.

This was our culture.
And this is the very atmosphere I’m building in my home now.

We are raising children in a generation that celebrates convenience, shortcuts, and ease. But if our children are going to live fruitful lives, if they are going to handle responsibility with grace, they must understand the value and dignity of hard work.

Whether it’s school, career, ministry, marriage, or parenting, life will demand strength. And strength is built through work.

We cannot raise lazy children and expect them to live honourably. A lazy mindset will sabotage destiny. No matter how brilliant or talented your children are, if they are not willing to work hard, they will underperform.  If they’re going to excel in school, relationships, ministry, or future business ventures, they’ll need grit, perseverance, and the strength to do inconvenient things, and still do them well. 

No one wants to hire a lazy employee, hand resources to a sloppy leader, or marry someone who cannot carry the weight of a home. Even the most anointed prophet or pastor or spiritually gifted singer will still need to show up early, prepare diligently, and work humbly if they want to be truly fruitful. God honors labor.

2 Thessalonians 3:10 says: “He who does not work, let him not eat”. 

Home is the Training Ground

• Wash some of their clothes
• Help out in the kitchen
• Do the dishes
• Sweep, mop, and clean, even if you have to sweep again afterward. Honour their effort.
• Let them help one another. Sometimes, I let my children dress each other up. It takes a lot of patience, honestly. I often want to just step in, grab the clothes, and get it done quickly. But I resist it, because those 30 minutes of tumbling, fumbling, and giggling on the bed are exactly how they learn. Growth and mastery of anything comes by doing, again and again.
• Let them fold laundry and make their beds
• Carry their bags and lunchboxes
• Put away toys and dirty clothes, not on the floor, but in the laundry basket!
• Let them help with groceries, and simple meal prep
• Open the door and gate when the bell rings
• If they truly need assistance, make sure they ask the helper politely, not with entitlement

The helper is your help, not theirs. You are not raising masters; you are raising stewards.

I’ve built this in my home too. When my first son asks to sweep, I don’t stop him. Even if we have to sweep all over again, I celebrate the heart to help. He wants to mop? I let him. He wants to wash his plate? I let him try. And I celebrate his efforts gleefully. Reward the try, not just the triumph.

Say things like:

• “I’m proud of how hard you tried”.
• “God sees your work, even if no one else does.”
• Thank you for working through that even when you were tired.”

This teaches them that effort matters, and that excellence is built, not handed out.

Start early and build gradually, Give age-appropriate responsibilities

Model what you want them to become

Let your children watch you work, with integrity, with discipline, with purpose. If you’re always escaping work or grumbling through it, they’ll think hard work is a punishment. But if you embrace it with joy and gratitude, they’ll follow your lead.

Let the spirit of Proverbs 14:23 govern your home: “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.” Let them see you:

• Doing your best with joy
• Serving others sacrificially
• Waking early, finishing projects, cleaning up your own messes

Let your children learn early that:

• Work is good.
• Work is sacred.
• Work is service unto the Lord.

You Are Setting a Tone

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” (Colossians 3:23)
“Do you see a man diligent in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men.” (Proverbs 22:29)

These aren’t just memory verses, they are blueprints for life. The earlier we build this value in our children, the stronger their foundation will be. Let them work. Let them sweat. Let them try. And let them see you doing it too. Because you’re not just building a clean house, you are building a clean heart. A responsible soul. A future pillar.

This is the tone we should aim to set in our home:

A home where work is not dreaded but dignified and respected
A home where everyone contributes joyfully.
A home where no one is too “big” to serve.
Where smart work is applauded..

Teach them now what Ecclesiastes 9:10 says: “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might…”

Let them grow up with memories of cleaning together, helping each other, learning from your example. These seemingly ordinary routines become the training grounds for extraordinary character. Hard work isn’t just about chores. It is a posture of the heart. It’s the way we honour God with our hands and give glory through our effort. It is not just about getting tasks done, it’s about building men and women of strength, diligence, and honour.

Let’s raise builders, not beggars

Let’s raise children who can serve, build, and lead. Children who know how to follow through. Children who aren’t entitled, but empowered. Children who, like my father showed me, understand that hard work is not just about doing things, it’s about doing them well, and doing them unto the Lord.

Hardworking children grow into reliable adults. The ones who don’t cut corners. The ones who can serve in church, lead teams, build companies, and raise families without folding under pressure.

Let’s not be too quick to “help” our children avoid discomfort. Sometimes, what they need is not relief, but responsibility.

• This is how we raise sons who grow into men, husbands, and fathers who joyfully fulfill their responsibilities at home. 
• This is how we raise daughters who embrace their roles as wives and mothers with gladness, not with resentment or the belief that certain roles are beneath them. 
• This is how we nurture future leaders; bosses who lead with diligence, honor, integrity, and empathy. 
• This is how we raise noble employees who serve with excellence and sincerity..