Recently, I started thinking about work and being in a job. I couldn’t think of any job where there wasn’t someone or some thing to answer to. Most of us have supervisors, managers, or bosses to heed to. Even CEO’s and the highest level boss must answer to either a board or money itself. We are all servants, or possibly slaves to others within our work.
Our method and motivation is to please whoever is over us, or the great dollar. As much as we think we are not slaves, there’s no real way to escape this.
Or is there?
There’s some verses in Ephesians that came to mind after thinking about work. Paul lays out a way of life where we are humble and even submissive to each other. First, that’s still against the grain of today’s society. Second, I think he lays out a remedy of work.
One verse in particular, Ephesians 6:6, has this little phrase:
“as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,”
The context is where Paul is addressing what we would consider employees of businesses. This phrase sums up how we are to act in jobs. It still seems like we are servants, but now of Christ, right?
I think there’s a difference, where we don’t have to give ourselves over to money and to worldly bosses. It’s the idea that our lives are radically different from what they were before, and that means being a slave to a job. Tasks at work doesn’t change, but our attitude does. Paul has, in other books he wrote, laid out how we are new creations, having new hearts and new lives in Christ. Jesus even said to not lay up treasure in heaven. All of this has me think that work doesn’t have to be dismal and boring, or upsetting because of bad bosses.
We can be nice to our bosses because our true Lord is Jesus. He’s not demanding or evil. He’s good and kind. He gives us true rest. We can not be a slave to money because Jesus has given us a greater treasure. This is what He has called us to. This is what He has given. This is how we live.
chris
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Recently, I started thinking about work and being in a job. I couldn’t think of any job where there wasn’t someone or some thing to answer to. Most of us have supervisors, managers, or bosses to heed to. Even CEO’s and the highest level boss must answer to either a board or money itself. We are all servants, or possibly slaves to others within our work.
Our method and motivation is to please whoever is over us, or the great dollar. As much as we think we are not slaves, there’s no real way to escape this.
Or is there?
There’s some verses in Ephesians that came to mind after thinking about work. Paul lays out a way of life where we are humble and even submissive to each other. First, that’s still against the grain of today’s society. Second, I think he lays out a remedy of work.
One verse in particular, Ephesians 6:6, has this little phrase:
“as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,”
The context is where Paul is addressing what we would consider employees of businesses. This phrase sums up how we are to act in jobs. It still seems like we are servants, but now of Christ, right?
I think there’s a difference, where we don’t have to give ourselves over to money and to worldly bosses. It’s the idea that our lives are radically different from what they were before, and that means being a slave to a job. Tasks at work doesn’t change, but our attitude does. Paul has, in other books he wrote, laid out how we are new creations, having new hearts and new lives in Christ. Jesus even said to not lay up treasure in heaven. All of this has me think that work doesn’t have to be dismal and boring, or upsetting because of bad bosses.
We can be nice to our bosses because our true Lord is Jesus. He’s not demanding or evil. He’s good and kind. He gives us true rest. We can not be a slave to money because Jesus has given us a greater treasure. This is what He has called us to. This is what He has given. This is how we live.