Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him. (Ephesians 6:5-9 NIV)
In this passage Paul deals with the relationship between a slave and his master. Thankfully, slavery no longer exists in much of the world, although remnants of slavery still persist. Men, operating in the kingdom of darkness, will always desire to subject others to bondage.
In today's Western culture, we can apply the truths from this passage to the employer-employee relationship. The bottom line is, that you as an employee, should work as unto the Lord. You should serve your employer, as though you are serving Jesus. In reality you are ultimately working for Jesus.
You should obey your employer with:
...just as you would obey Christ.
- Respect
- Fear (godly)
- Sincerity of heart.
I am blessed to work for a company, which understands the wisdom of treating their employees right. They realize that it is "good business" to treat their employees as valuable memebers of the team. My direct supervisor is committed to my success and improvement. Management does not saddle me with unrealistic expectations.
I understand that many employees are not as fortunate as me. If you believe that your employer is unreasonable or harsh, consider the following questions.
Most of the time in life, the way you are treated by others, will be in direct correlation to the way you treat people. If your supervisor knows that you are committed to serving him, to producing quality work, and that you are committed to his success, you might be surprised how well he will begin to treat you.
- Do you have a godly attitude toward your employer?
- Do you treat your direct supervisor with respect?
- Are you committed to the success of your company and your direct supervisor?
- Do you give eight hours of diligent work for eight hours of pay?
- Do you resist the negative words and energy created by disgruntled employees?
In the corporate world, the higher you rise, the greater the potential for pressure and stress. If you consistently help to take the pressure off of your boss, instead of adding pressure and stress to his job, then it is highly likely that you will develop favor with him.
Integrity can be an issue in the corporate world. You cannot compromise the standard of the Word of God to please your boss. However, if you choose to walk in wisdom, God will guide you through the integrity issues. If it becomes necessary to search for another job, rather than compromise your integrity, then so be it. But, more often than not, God will help you to work out the situation in a manner that will not compromise your integrity, and that will leave you in a stronger position.
So, the focus is to serve your employer, as you work unto the Lord, remembering that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. It is vital that you look to God as the source of your provision. Certainly, God uses your job to bless you financially, but always look to God to meet your needs. God has an unlimited supply, your employer does not. Don't limit God's provision in your life to your paycheck. God is the rewarder. Work for him, and HE will reward YOU!
Your job may be unbearable. Perhaps, God wants to bless you with a better job. However, be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Make sure that you have learned all the lessons that God wants to teach you at your current job. Let the Holy Spirit deal with attitudes in you, which may not measure up to the standard of the Word of God. Otherwise, you will take your problems with you to your next job.
Paul concludes this passage by exhorting masters/employers to treat slaves/employees in the same way. If an employer will treat his employee with respect out of a sincere heart, then the Lord will reward the employer. I truly believe that God will bless the business, which treats their employees according to Biblical principles.
Paul said to the masters, Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.
To me the injunction, to not threaten those who work for you, means to not govern with fear. Some employers use fear to supervise their workforce. This is the wrong motivation. Manage your workforce through Biblical principles grounded in the love of God, and your employees will produce greater results for your business.
I imagine that through the centuries, Paul's statement that there is no favoritism with God, went largely ignored by slaveholders. But, it is truth. God is not a respecter of persons, in that he loves the slave and the master alike. He will reward the one who obeys his Word regardless of status or class.
Through the past several weeks, we have examined various relationships, beginning with the husband-wife relationship, then the parent-child relationship, and concluding today with the employer-employee relationship. In conclusion, all relationships in life should be governed by the words of Jesus found in Matthew 7:12. So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
The Golden Rule still works. God's Word provides specific wisdom for specific relationships, but if you treat others the way that you want to be treated, you will be well down the road to healthy relationships in all facets of your life.
Wayne L. Williams
wayne@fotwm.org
Wisdom From the Word
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