Christian Living

Do You Get Paid What You Deserve?

by Brother Carlton 
07/06/24
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It's often said that you don't get what you need, but what you deserve. Maybe that's true, maybe it's not.

 Do we really get paid what we deserve?

 It's true that our skills and abilities help us earn what we do, but as the Apostle Paul says, "I am what I am by the grace of God." Any abilities, talents, or skills we have are given to us by the grace of God. He helps us gain wealth. In fact, there's a verse in the Old Testament that says, "It is God who gives the ability or the power to get wealth." 

A lot of self-made millionaires would do well to read that scripture. They often credit themselves with their success due to their greatness, skills, and talent, forgetting to give God the glory or credit.

Paul also said, "What do you have that wasn't given to you? And if it was given to you, why do you boast as though it wasn't given to you?" I'm paraphrasing, but the message is clear.

The Nature of Payment and Work

We don't get paid for what we do; we get paid for what we did. Everything we've done in the past shapes who we are today. For example, if you've done a lot of manual labor, like plumbing or automobile mechanics, those skills define you now. You've proven yourself by doing it in the past. When a prospective employer interviews you, they often ask, "What have you done?" rather than "What do you do?" They want to see your track record.

If you're in sales, for instance, you need to show them your achievements. You might say, "I was the number one salesman in my firm for ten years. I sold $5 million worth of products using a very small list of prospects and trained a small sales force, increasing our bottom line by $20 million over a 20-year period." Essentially, you're telling your prospective employer what you've done.

Philosophy of Performance

We need to develop a better philosophy—a philosophy of performance rather than a philosophy of demand. We can demand more money, but we need to focus on performance and productivity. The late Jim Rohn emphasized this. Some people want the government to intervene and increase the minimum wage, thinking that will make them wealthy. But if the minimum wage were increased to $50 an hour, everything around us would become much more expensive, and we'd be right back to square one.

Economic Realities

Currently, fast food workers are earning around $20 an hour, but people's standard of living is diminishing due to inflation. Many don't understand economics and blame businessmen for raising prices or landlords for increasing rent. However, it's the government that's to blame. The Federal Reserve pumps so much money into the system, and all that money has to find a place. It reaches the public through loans, and with that extra money, we bid up the prices of everything from automobiles to homes. 

 We're in a bubble—both in the stock market and real estate. But we're not in a commodity bubble yet, and I believe those who invest in commodities now are going to come out much better in the long run.

These are some things to think about. I hope this insight helps elevate our thinking to a higher level.

Brother Carlton ministers the gospel to the Los Angeles area. Formerly a Hollywood actor (SAG member) and junk removal expert, he now spends most of his time studying the scriptures, writing articles, hymns, and poems, and doing street preaching. See all his videos on YouTube brother Carlton.