May 20, 2023

Ephesians 6: 5-7 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 the serving the Lord, not men. (NIV)

You can’t control their attitude, but you can manage yours.*

Surely this passage does not apply to us today. Despite jokes about our employers, none of us is a slave, nor do we own slaves; but I would suggest that though the culture has changed, the principles remain the same.  Our bosses may not own us but we are subject to them for as long as we are on the payroll.

Christian employees should set the standard for workplace ethics. “Not my job,” should not be heard coming from our mouths. Would we tell the Lord that we aren’t going to perform duties that aren’t included in our job description? Will we save our most diligent and energetic work for when we are being watched? Surely a Christian wouldn’t adopt a “what the bosses don’t know, they don’t know”* attitude!

You may hate your job. You may be underpaid, overworked, and underappreciated, your boss may be unfair and your co-workers slackers, but if you serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord instead of that unfair boss, you will see improvements in your workday. As someone has observed about this new and better attitude: “Such a view of work adds unlimited dignity to our labor.”*

I can’t promise that your Christian work ethic will make a difference in how you are treated on the job, but I know how Paul concludes this passage in the next verse: “Because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether slave or free.” (Ephesians 6: 8)

Embrace the ministry potential of any job.*