Work as unto the Lord

Scripture:
"Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ". (Ephesians 6:5)

A few years ago I was working for a company in Torrence and was hired to develop database reports that were distributed electronically to all their distribution points across the nation. I knew how to do this very well but I worked for a younger, less experienced manager who wanted things done a particular way and was not open to techniques that I was familiar with.

About that same time I was studying the book of Ephesians, chapters 5 & 6, reading about submission. In those chapters Paul tells us how men are to submit to Christ, how women are to submit to men, how children are to submit to parents and how slaves are to submit to their masters. Now there are a lot of particulars about submission in these chapters and I don't want anyone to get upset about what I just wrote. I only mention this to lead us to the verses in scripture about slaves submitting to their masters.

Now the mere mention of the word slavery brings up a touchy subject, particularly in light of America's history, but in many cultures, contemporary and historical, slavery was a common and accepted practice. Again, I don't want anyone to get all bent out of shape here, I am not making any political statement about submission or slavery, I am leading to a particular point which has been helpful to me.

Now for years I just read over the part about slaves submitting to their masters because that part could not really apply to me, but I was wrong. Because when I was having trouble at my job, the Lord lead me to understand, that when I am working for an employer, I am, in a sense, the employers "slave" during the hours I am employed to work. Hear me out here. Beyond the point that one might make about the difference between being an employee and a slave, look carefully at what Paul is telling us to do.

First of all we read "Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh". If we replace the word "slaves" with the word "employees" and the word "masters" with the word "boss" we have, "Employees, be obedient to those who are your bosses according to the flesh". Now immediately one might say, "well what if ... ?" Let's just assume that your boss will not tell you to do anything that is either illegal, immoral or unethical. Now this verse could be applied to our relationship to our employer.

For example, there should be some level of "fear and trembling" (v.6:5) toward your boss because he is your boss and we should do our jobs "in the sincerity of your heart", that is do the best we know how, "as to Christ". Paul is actually telling us here that when we do labor for our superiors, we should do it as if we were doing it for the Lord, "not by way of eye-service, as men-pleasers" but "doing the will of God in your heart" (v.6:6) "as to the Lord, and not to men" (v.6:7)

This passage also speaks to "masters", or employers or bosses. "Do the same things to them (employees), and give up threatening (don't do it) " because the real "master" or boss "is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him". (v.6:9) And the promise is this "knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord."

Meditate on this passage for a while. See what the Lord speaks to you about it. It spoke to me this way.

Prayer:
Father, you are our creator and you came down in the Son and died for us on the Cross. You deserve all of our loyalty and submission but we are easily led astray by the World, the flesh and the devil. Thank you for forgiving us and lead us Holy Spirit to know, and understand the Word of God so that we can walk our lives in your power. In Jesus' name. Amen