Freedom From Unemployment—How and When?

LIKE his Creator, man can experience joy in work, which is rightly defined as a “gift of God.” (Ecclesiastes 3:12, 13; John 5:17) An interesting job can give us happiness and make us feel useful and wanted. Hardly anyone wants to lose a job, no matter how little he may enjoy it. Besides guaranteeing a wage, paid employment gives structure, purpose, and a sense of identity to one’s life. It is no coincidence that usually “the unemployed want a job more than anything.”

In Search of a Job

As we have already seen, the situation in the labor market is very complex. As a result, there are many valid methods of looking for a job. Any who are entitled to them can make use of government unemployment benefits where available; and where applicable, they can enroll at unemployment offices and use services offered. Others find a job by creating their own employment. But caution should be exercised. Often the self-employed have to meet heavy initial expenses that may not be easy to pay off. It is also necessary to know and respect fiscal and tax laws—no mean feat in some countries!—Romans 13:1-7; Ephesians 4:28.

To find work, some have made a job of finding a job, dedicating themselves to it with method and perseverance. Others have written to companies that are looking for personnel, or they have put announcements in local newspapers—some of which print job-request announcements free. Awake! has often given useful and practical advice on the subject—for young people and adults alike.a—See boxes, page 11.

You must be adaptable—willing to do all kinds of work, including jobs you do not necessarily like. Experts say that among the first things asked about at job interviews are previous work experience and length of time out of work. Loss of the work rhythm is not a good sign for the potential employer.

A person who wisely spent his time in school acquiring skills has a better chance of finding his first job. “Unemployment,” says Alberto Majocchi, teacher of financial sciences, “especially affects unskilled workers.”

The Importance of Emotional Support

One important factor is a positive outlook. This can make the difference between finding a job and not finding one. The unemployed greatly appreciate emotional support, which helps them avoid isolating themselves or falling into apathy. It also serves to overcome the loss of self-respect that can result from comparing oneself with others who have not lost their jobs.

Making ends meet may not be easy. “Worried as I was, I found it difficult to make good use of the time on my hands,” says Stefano. “The situation made me so tense,” recalls Francesco, “that I began to find fault with some of my dear friends.” This is where the support of the family comes in. The lack of income requires adaptation by all members of the family in order to reduce the standard of living. Franco, fired at the age of 43 after working for the same company for 23 years, says: “Right from the time I was fired, my wife was positive and a source of great encouragement.” Armando is particularly grateful to his wife for “her great prudence in shopping.”—Proverbs 31:10-31; Matthew 6:19-22; John 6:12; 1 Timothy 6:8-10.

Bible principles can help us to keep a positive spirit and not lose sight of the more important values. Those interviewed by Awake!, mentioned above, have drawn comforting reassurance from the Bible. This has made them feel closer to God. (Psalm 34:10; 37:25; 55:22; Philippians 4:6, 7) Having an intimate relationship with Jehovah God is of the utmost importance, for he promises: “I will by no means leave you nor by any means forsake you.”—Hebrews 13:5.

Whether one is unemployed or not, God’s Word encourages one to cultivate qualities useful for everyday living. It is no coincidence that Jehovah’s Witnesses are at times sought after and appreciated as honest workers. They follow the Bible’s counsel to be diligent and reliable, not lazy.—Proverbs 13:4; 22:29; 1 Thessalonians 4:10-12; 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12.

Freedom From the Specter of Unemployment

Underlying the lack of work, there is a root cause—human selfishness and greed. As the Bible says, “man has dominated man to his injury.”—Ecclesiastes 8:9.

The problem of unemployment—and other problems too—will be resolved by the removal of human dominion, now in its “last days.” (2 Timothy 3:1-3) There is need of a world that is really new. Yes, a world in which a righteous human society can live and work under a just and fair rulership, where greed will be no more. (1 Corinthians 6:9, 10; 2 Peter 3:13) That is why Jesus taught people to pray that God’s Kingdom come and that His will be done on earth.—Matthew 6:10.

Prophetically describing the elimination of some of mankind’s principal problems, God’s Word illustrates the effects of that Kingdom: “They will certainly build houses and have occupancy; and they will certainly plant vineyards and eat their fruitage. They will not build and someone else have occupancy; they will not plant and someone else do the eating. . . . The work of their own hands my chosen ones will use to the full. They will not toil for nothing, nor will they bring to birth for disturbance.” (Isaiah 65:21-23) The specter of unemployment will soon disappear for all time. If you would like to know more about God’s solution, please contact Jehovah’s Witnesses in your area.

[Footnote]

[Box on page 11]

Creating Work at Home

• Baby-sitting, child care

• Selling homegrown vegetables or flowers

• Sewing, altering, and repairing clothing

• Piecework for manufacturers

• Baking and food preparation

• Quilting, crocheting, knitting; making macramé, pottery; other crafts

• Upholstering

• Bookkeeping, typing, home computer services

• Telephone answering service

• Hairdressing

• Taking in boarders

• Addressing and filling envelopes for advertisers

• Washing and waxing cars (customer brings car to your home)

• Pet grooming and exercising

• Lock repair and key making (workshop at home)

• Ads for much of this work can be placed free of charge or at low cost in weekend shopping news or on supermarket notice boards

[Box on page 11]

Creating Work Outside the Home

• House-sitting (when people are on vacation and want their home to be looked after)

• Cleaning: stores; offices; homes and apartments after construction, after fires, after people move out; housework (in homes of others); windows (business and domestic)

• Repairs: appliances of all kinds (libraries contain easy-to-follow books on repairs)

• Handyman jobs: siding houses; building cabinets, doors, porches; painting; fencing; roofing

• Farm work: crops, picking fruit

• Interior landscaping and plant care at: offices, banks, shopping plazas and atriums, lobbies

• Property management: janitors, superintendent (sometimes includes free living quarters)

• Insurance, real estate

• Carpet installation, cleaning

• Newspaper routes (adults and children), other delivery services: ads, bills for municipalities

• Moving, storage

• Landscaping, tree trimming, lawn care, woodcutting

• School-bus driver

• Photography (portraits and public events)

• Bait for fishermen

• Swap work: barter car repairs for electrical work, sewing for plumbing, etc.

[Picture on page 10]

“The work of their own hands my chosen ones will use to the full.”—Isaiah 65:22