As the Lord prepared the people for life in the Land, He touched on every area of life and relationships, even on employers regarding their payroll habits:
"Do not take advantage of a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether that worker is a fellow Israelite or a foreigner residing in one of your towns. Pay them their wages each day before sunset, because they are poor and are counting on it. Otherwise they may cry to the Lord against you, and you will be guilty of sin" (Deuteronomy 24:14-16).
This is reminiscent of what James wrote centuries later:
Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty (James 5:1-4).
There are two ways to look at these warnings. The first is that if you're in a position to pay people, you must do just that: Pay them! Don't play games with people's money to benefit your own situation. Also, if you've made donation pledges to a nonprofit organization, pay them! If you don't, you're in a sense hindering them paying their workers and thus indirectly responsible.
Finally, if an employer or client owes you money, take it to the Lord. In both passages, we see that the aggrieved party cries out to the Lord and He hears them, and the implication is that God takes up the matter and cause of the worker. Are you owed money for your purpose or creative work? Do the best you can to collect, but don't hesitate to call out to God for help.
If you're an employer, do you owe anyone their wages? Do you make those people "jump through hoops" to get what's rightfully theirs? God is interested in your business affairs, whether you're a worker or manager, and is willing to represent your interests if you're wronged. Just make sure you're not the one doing the wronging.
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