Ephesians 6:5-8 says...
Today's verses are Ephesians 6:5-8, which read,
v.5, 6 - 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; not by way of eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.
Paul has spoken specifically to the wives and then the husbands and then the children and then the parents and now onto the workers and we see some common things here. The first is that what is to be done by the workers, or slaves, or servants is "as to Christ." Again, the object of our obedience is bigger than that master or employer that is before us.
Slaves in the day of the Jesus and Paul were different in some ways than our history of slavery in the United States. Some of them had property and many had a great amount of education but they still were a commodity to their owners. These verses are speaking to those who find themselves in this position at the time and how to respond as a child of the King while being a slave to man. The second common thing is this obedience through submission to those who are in leadership over them. The words "fear and trembling" are to convey a respect for their position.
The Bible continues to relate to today so if we hold this in context of our workplace, how do we work in obedience to our employers? Do we just provide "eye-service?" Do we just work when others are watching and then stop when they are looking the other way? Do we work in such a way to be "men-pleasers?" Do we butter up our work with many words to get out of work or flatter our employers with other things rather than honest work that honors them?
Our service to others in the area of honest work can be and will be used by Christ to be a witness to the world of Him and bring glory to Him. We are to work as unto the Lord and to do our work from a heart of love that we have for Christ.
v.7, 8 - With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.
You are in a win-win situation. As you serve as unto the Lord, with Him in view and from a heart of love for Him, even if you are not treated as you should be, what you have done will not go unnoticed or unrewarded by God. As we work, our attitude should be that of goodness because we see the bigger picture of what is going on. The impact of what we do on the job has an impact on those who are around us.
Is what we are doing on the job pointing others to Christ because they see a Christ follower obeying their Master's instructions in this area? Would your co-workers look at you differently if they were to read these verses from "your" book, the Bible, and tried to match it up to your actions and words on the job? Would they see consistency with the book you believe or would they see hypocrisy? Some tough questions but we are at our work places a majority of our time and all of our time, as limited as it is, is God's. Lets honor Him with it and lets pray.
"Lord, no area of our lives are You leaving out. As workers of others, we are to honor You as we honor them with honest labor. May we walk into our workplace with new eyes, Your eyes, as we look at the labor and our co-workers and our employers. May they be able to pick up the Bible and read these words and see it played out in our words and actions. Amen."
Pastor Adam
v.5, 6 - 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; not by way of eye-service, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.
Paul has spoken specifically to the wives and then the husbands and then the children and then the parents and now onto the workers and we see some common things here. The first is that what is to be done by the workers, or slaves, or servants is "as to Christ." Again, the object of our obedience is bigger than that master or employer that is before us.
Slaves in the day of the Jesus and Paul were different in some ways than our history of slavery in the United States. Some of them had property and many had a great amount of education but they still were a commodity to their owners. These verses are speaking to those who find themselves in this position at the time and how to respond as a child of the King while being a slave to man. The second common thing is this obedience through submission to those who are in leadership over them. The words "fear and trembling" are to convey a respect for their position.
The Bible continues to relate to today so if we hold this in context of our workplace, how do we work in obedience to our employers? Do we just provide "eye-service?" Do we just work when others are watching and then stop when they are looking the other way? Do we work in such a way to be "men-pleasers?" Do we butter up our work with many words to get out of work or flatter our employers with other things rather than honest work that honors them?
Our service to others in the area of honest work can be and will be used by Christ to be a witness to the world of Him and bring glory to Him. We are to work as unto the Lord and to do our work from a heart of love that we have for Christ.
v.7, 8 - With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free.
You are in a win-win situation. As you serve as unto the Lord, with Him in view and from a heart of love for Him, even if you are not treated as you should be, what you have done will not go unnoticed or unrewarded by God. As we work, our attitude should be that of goodness because we see the bigger picture of what is going on. The impact of what we do on the job has an impact on those who are around us.
Is what we are doing on the job pointing others to Christ because they see a Christ follower obeying their Master's instructions in this area? Would your co-workers look at you differently if they were to read these verses from "your" book, the Bible, and tried to match it up to your actions and words on the job? Would they see consistency with the book you believe or would they see hypocrisy? Some tough questions but we are at our work places a majority of our time and all of our time, as limited as it is, is God's. Lets honor Him with it and lets pray.
"Lord, no area of our lives are You leaving out. As workers of others, we are to honor You as we honor them with honest labor. May we walk into our workplace with new eyes, Your eyes, as we look at the labor and our co-workers and our employers. May they be able to pick up the Bible and read these words and see it played out in our words and actions. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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