Employers and employees have significant responsibilities. Believe it or not, both have roles that are just as important to each other. It can be symbiotic. The employer gives vision and direction and the employee provides the support and labor to make the vision happen. If both sides don’t do their part then the organization fails.
As the employer you should be leading your employees with fairness, impartiality, and knowing that your work is considered a work from the Lord. Biblically speaking, a good leader is also a good servant. The Leader will not dictate or be a person who holds authority over their employees. Jesus has said that leaders should not hold their authority over those they have been appointed over.
Several traits for leaders are important. They are simple traits for every leader, but they are very important. Being a Leader brings responsibilities. Do you remember the line from the original Spiderman movie with Tobey Maguire when his Uncle Ben told Peter “With great power comes great responsibility”? Colossians 4:1 (ESV) state “Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.” Employers, bosses, leaders, managers, and supervisors need to treat their employees with fairness. The same standard you hold one of your employees to must be the same standard you hold all your employees. And it also must be the same standard you hold yourself to as well. In fact, as a leader you need to hold yourself higher and a little stricter so that the people you lead do not find fault in you or your actions. Too many times have I seen a leader hold someone to a standard they are not willing to follow themselves. If you don’t tolerate tardiness, then make sure you show up early. If you don’t tolerate foul language, make sure your language is free of profanity. And if you don’t tolerate being interrupted while you speak, make sure you don’t interrupt others and you maintain the same standard across all your employees.
One of the main problems I have seen during my time in the job market was the leader showing partiality to others, or showing favoritism. This is a morale killer. Especially when a leader or manager shows favoritism to an employee who is not performing to the accepted expectations or one who is performing a certain behavior yet does not tolerate the same behavior in another employee. When confronted they even comment “That is their behavior” or “That is that person’s personality.” James 2:9 (ESV) states “But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.” It permits the other person to continue acting that way and destroys the credibility of the leader. Furthermore, that person may move departments or change positions and if the behavior is not tolerated by the next leader or manager, that person is then set up for failure. A leader needs to have credibility, showing favoritism destroys the leader’s credibility.
In the same way, an employee also needs to portray themselves in a good light. Colossians 3:17 (NIV) states the following “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” As an employee, I am working for the manager appointed over me as if he or she were placed in that position by God because ultimately, they are. Any project assigned to me should be performed with the best attitude and to the best of my abilities and be able to produce the best results.
Do the work assigned to you and do it well. Even if it is unfairly assigned to you by a harsh employer, ultimately you will be recognized. Maybe not by your boss, but definitely by God if you treat your job as a ministry in itself. 1 Peter 2:19 – 20 (ESV) puts it this way “Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.” Employees have the responsibility to carry out the work given to them. They are placed in the position to perform the job they are given. Unfortunately, I have been given those jobs I did not like, but I tried to do my best in those jobs. I even tried to have fun doing those jobs, and in turn, it starts to be fun. Paul tells Titus in Titus 2: 9 – 10 (ESV) “Bondservants are to be submissive to their masters in everything; they are to be well-pleasing, not argumentative, not pilfering, but showing all good faith, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.” I know it can be difficult to not argue or talk back to a Leader who is difficult to work with, as God’s people we must be of good attitude and show positive influence in our jobs. Only when it is contrary to God’s word and God’s commandments can we disobey. We should never compromise our Christianity and our relationship with God.
If you are lucky enough to work for a Leader who is also a Christian, a Believer in Jesus, then we are to be grateful and show respect to them even more. 1 Timothy 6: 2 – 3 gives us the following instruction “Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are brothers; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their good service are believers and beloved.” Be glad to have a boss who is a believer because they can understand us as well. Don’t take advantage of them, as I have seen some Christians do this to their Christian managers. Whether your Leader is a Christian or not treat them with respect, submit to their authority, do the job assigned excellently, ask for help when you need it, and don’t argue or complain. If you have frustration or get to a point where you feel upset or emotionally tired, reach out to them for help. I am sure they will give you help and provide support when you need it.
Finally, I want to leave this final thought from Ephesians 6 which speaks to both Employees (Bondservants) and Leaders (Masters). Ephesians 6:5-9 states “Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven and that there is no partiality with him.”
Both Employees and Leaders have their responsibilities and must perform them to the best of their abilities as God has called all of us to do. All of us must be the best representatives of God to those around us. It is our actions that define us, not our words. And if we talk of our faith in Christ, we must also demonstrate ourselves to be Christians and do our work giving our best efforts. As leaders, we must be respectful, fair, honest, full of integrity, and impartiality. Employees must give their best work, not be argumentative or talk back, obey their leaders even when they are not watching us, and do their best in our labor. In doing so we are pleasing our God in Heaven and are demonstrating Christian values to those around us, those who are watching us and who are learning how Christians demonstrate our faith.
DEAR LORD, I KNOW I AM A SINNER. I KNOW I HAVE HOPE IN JESUS. I WANT TO REPENT OF MY SINS AND COME TO YOU TO ASK FORGIVENESS. I WANT TO ASK YOU TO FORGIVE MY SINS, CLEANSE ME OF MY SINS, GIVE ME THE HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE WITH JESUS, AND I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE JESUS IS MY LORD AND SAVIOR AND HE GAVE HIS LIFE FOR ME. I ASK THE HOLY SPIRIT TO COME INTO ME AS THE GUARANTEE OF MY SALVATION AND WANT TO REPENT OF MY SINS. ALL THIS I ASK IN JESUS HOLY AND PRECIOUS NAME, AMEN
If you prayed that prayer then I want to say CONGRATULATIONS AND WELCOME TO THE FAMILY OF BELIEVERS. The Angels, The Saints, The Lord Jesus, and all who have gone before us are having a party in Heaven because you chose Jesus. And I want to welcome you to the family. Find a good Bible-based church and continue to learn about Jesus. We are all on this Journey together. And in the end we will hear God say “Well Done my good and faithful servant!”
Heart for Jesus 