Col 3:22-4:1 says, "Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God: And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. But he that doeth wrong shall receive for the wrong which he hath done: and there is no respect of persons. Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven." This week we will look into The Biblical roles of employees and employers. Let’s get into God’s Word.

The Biblical use of servant/master equates to today’s employee/employer. Although the Bible does not condone slavery, it does teach how a servant and master are to behave towards each other. These same Christian principles are to be exercised in the workplace today. Our Christianity is not to be checked at the door of the shop. We are to practice Christian principles in every part of our life. It should be who we are, not something we turn on and off like a switch.

Christian employees are to serve their boss like they would serve Christ Jesus; because truly, that is Who you serve. You would not serve Jesus with eye service (being busy only when the boss is looking). You would serve Him well, even when He wasn’t looking. Serve your boss the same way. You would serve Jesus with a sincere heart. Serve your boss the same way, not cursing him or mumbling under your breath. Christian, do your job for Jesus - no matter who your earthly boss is. Your reward will be from Him some day. That is what is important.

Do your job with all your heart, as unto the Lord. Would you be a slacker if you worked for Jesus? Would come to work late and leave early? Would you steal from Him by doing personal things on His time? Of course, some employers grant permission to use company time or resources to do certain personal things; but if you do not have permission, you are stealing.

Christian employees: Obey the rules, have a spirit of excellence, don’t steal, don’t lie, don’t spread discontentment around the work place (griping, complaining, murmuring about the job, boss, pay, etc.). If you don’t like your job, look for another; but serve your current job well, and give at least two weeks notice when you find another job. That is decent and respectful. Honor your boss. Don’t be a back talker or smart mouth. Don’t take advantage of Christian bosses; and don’t do less of a job for unchristian bosses. Look to hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”, from Jesus - and don’t worry about it if you don’t hear it from your boss after a job is well done. You serve Christ no matter what (Col 3:22-25, Eph 6:5-8, Titus 2:9-11, 1Tim 6:1-4, 1Pt 2:18-23, 1Cor 7:22, Mt 25:21).

Christian employers are to remember the golden rule: Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you. They are to give what is just and equal: an honest day’s pay for an honest day’s work. Don’t try to swindle employees, or make them feel guilty for taking what they are owed. They are not to play favorites, because God doesn’t. Treat all workers with the same respect. It builds confidence and trust with the workers, and it is honest. Don’t threaten, or rule over employees with severity or cruelty. In modern times, this means don’t treat your employees like dirt. Show them respect and dignity - they will typically show you the same. Care about your workers. Ask about their families. If an employee knows you actually care about them, it makes them want to do a good job. They should care about the company, because the company cares about them.

Boaz greeted his workers with, “The Lord be with you!”, and his workers responded, “And the Lord bless you!”. That makes for a nice work environment. Employers will be held accountable to God for how they treated their employees. Think about that. We must understand that even bosses have a boss in Heaven that he will answer to. Even if you have to fire an employee, you can still do it with respect and dignity. Be a good boss. Be a Christian. It is so sad when you hear, “My boss says he’s a Christian, but you would never know it by working for him”. We must emulate Christ, or don’t claim His name. If both Christian employers and employees would fulfill their roles in the workplace, work could be something everyone would look forward to - and a company would reap the benefits and blessings that would bring (Col 4:1, Eph 6:9, Ecc 5:8, Lev 25:43, Mt 24:48-51, Mt 20:26-27, Ruth 2:4). I am out of space, so until next time, rejoice in The Lord!