WORK, WORKERS AND MASTERS – OBEY IN ALL THINGS

We all are workers, in one sense or the other, with superiors, masters or employers over us, to supervise us. A worker or an employee, is expected to have certain standards of work ethic, towards the work, and also the supervisor, employee or the masters. Whatever attitudes we hold in our hearts, will reflect in our words, and behaviour, at the work place. This is no rocket science to miss our minds. If it does, then we are poor workers, and bad employees.

As a Christian, we too are employed by someone. We are employees working for someone. What does the Bible has to speak to us, as Christian employees? The LORD, who is our Master, has spoken these words, through the apostle Paul, in Colossians 3:22-25…
– *”22 Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. 23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. 25 But he who does wrong will be repaid for what he has done, and there is no partiality.”

For our meditation today, let us see the words – “Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh…”
Notice, it is addressed to the bondservents, which is a far more difficult situation, than a mere employee. A bond-slave is owned by the mater for life, with no possibility of release from that position.

Such bondservents are called to obey the master in all things. The Greek word used here for “obedience” means –  “To listen attentively; by implication, to heed or conform to a command or authority.” The underlying emphasis is on the heart of the bondservant, because there could be a desire to disobey and rebel, due to the nature of the relationship between the “employee” and the employer.

The Bible, nor the apostle Paul are encouraging slavery, or any such inhuman and unjust practices, invented by man, for his own benefit. That is not the point at all, in any sense of the verse. Rather it is exactly the opposite.

As Christians we are called to be good servants or workers. Our traits, as workers, are to be in line with our heavenly Master. As such, obedience become one of the primary building blocks of a Christian employee.

Obedience, as the Bible talks about, is not blind obedience. The LORD expects us to be obedient, in the things, that are lawful, right and good…as defined by the law of the LORD, and also, the law of the land.

May the LORD help us to be workers who are honest, hardworking, obedient with impeccable integrity. May we, by our attitude towards the work, and the earthly masters, bring glory and honour to our Master above.