Ephesians 6: 5-9
Now Paul goes on to the final personal relationship people have. We don't condone slavery today, the owning of persons as property to do the work, we hire employees. So we can apply these principles to our relationships in the work world.
Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh,
Today we would say, Employees, do what makes your boss look good at work.
with fear and trembling,
Respecting them, giving them the credit for what is accomplished.
in the sincerity of
your heart, as to Christ; not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but
as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.
Honestly, not a put-on,
but sincerely wanting to do what will benefit the whole company,
regardless of who gets the credit, just as you would if your boss was
Jesus, because He is.
With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men,
Do your job to the best
of your ability, as though you're working for Christ and His Kingdom,
not just the company you work for.
knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.
Because we know that
whatever we do for the Kingdom, we're sending on ahead, and we will reap
the benefits there. And it doesn't make any difference whether we are
the boss or the worker, we're all working for Christ.
And masters, do the same things to them,
Have the same attitude
that you are administering the Lord's business, and He has given you
your employees to walk with you in your service to the Lord.
and give up threatening,
Don't be hard on them,
treat them as valuable assets, brothers and sisters in the Lord, encouraging them to do their tasks,
showing them the benefits of doing right.
knowing that both their Master and yours is in Heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.
Keep in mind that God
set up the order of authority, and no matter where He put you on the
ladder, there are those both above and below you, but you are all
valuable, all on the same ladder, all walking the same path of
Righteousness, and all precious in His sight.
I have been both the
boss and the employee at different times, but I am the same person, at
different stages of development. And those both above me and below me in
responsibility, I must see as just as precious to the Lord as I am, and
I am to serve them and lead them to the best of the ability I have been
able to attain so far in my walk.
The family and work
responsibilities we have been given sometimes seem to require more of us
than we think we have to give, and they are. God does not expect us to
fulfill His will in our own strength, because He knows we are but flesh.
That's why He gave us
His Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God in us teaches us, informs us, molds
us, strengthens us, and enables us to supernaturally live our lives each
day, obeying those who are above us, and humbly leading those who are
following us.
O my Father, thank You
for Your Spirit to live in us. Thank You for telling us and showing us
the right ways to think about life and our relationships, to see things
and people the way You see them, according to the order of authority You established, and to help one another in our journeys
along the path of life.
Father, continue to
teach me how to be the daughter of the King You designed me to be. Continue
to help me learn and practice the good and proper things to do and
accomplish each day to obey You according to Your will for me.
Help me to redeem the time, and to use every resource You have given me to further Your Kingdom, as Your worker, Lord.
Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
