UncommonSample

“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.” Ephesians 6:5-9

Like our once seemingly nasty word submission, let me set this verse up because of some of the jargon used. Unlike perceptions of modern slavery, the term “bondservant” that Paul used is a relatively broad term with a wide range of usage. In the time of Paul, a “bondservant” could sometimes refer to someone who voluntarily served others. In most cases, the term refers to a person in a permanent service role. Most New Testament writers use the word ‘bondservant’ as self- description as they serve Christ.

Abuses from the master were not implied in this common usage because Christ never abused us. So when we see this word, do not think of the pre-Civil War harshness inflicted on African people. We should think of an English equivalent word, like an employee.

So, Paul tells us of a new status quo for work in the verses above.

Even though Paul writes in the context of 1st-century life, it holds the substance of what God wants for us. We tend to keep our work worlds and faith worlds separate. There is the world where we practice our religion and then the world where we perform our work. We would call one the sacred space and the other the secular space. We change our status quo based on the space we are in. We abide by different rules.

Paul says these two spaces are both to be invaded by a person who is “of God.”

If you are living ‘OF GOD,’ it will bring the status quo of God to your work environment.

Work is not a throwaway of your time or ministry; it’s where we spend most of our lives.

We all have had a lousy job. We all have hated what we do for a living at some point.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

1. BOSSES - Are you a reasonable, fair, and compassionate boss?
2. EMPLOYEES - Are you hard working and maintain a good attitude even when you disagree at your workplace?
3. What do you believe the primary purpose of work is in the eyes of God? (Hint: It’s not happiness.)