Okay teenagers, listen up; at some point in your lives you are going to work for a boss you don’t like. This boss will more than likely cause you a bit of emotional distress and a sincere reconsideration of your career choices. This boss you are bound to encounter as your days on the planet increase will seem to criticize almost every maneuver you make, and your anger, frustration, and desire to lash out in some manner will grow.
But what does the Bible say about a Christian’s need to have a good work ethic? 2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV) says, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” If we focus on pleasing God with our work, our resolve to labor diligently, regardless of our earthly boss, will become a much lighter burden.
1 Corinthians 10:31 (NIV) tells us, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” When we work, we work to glorify God. Whether we are making a sandwich, stocking groceries, or building a skyscraper, our work ethic and positive attitude glorify the Lord. We can’t run away from God’s commandments because we don’t like our bosses.
I have been a member of the American workforce for 26 years now. I have had creative bosses, insensitive bosses, eccentric bosses, intelligent bosses, and not so intelligent bosses. But in all of my working years I’ve tried to see past my earthly employer and concentrate on pleasing the one boss who matters most – God.
God understands the struggles we go through. He watched as his son suffered humiliating torture to redeem the world; a gift that we were definitely not worthy of receiving. Surely, God is with us, and for us when we work for a boss we don’t like. Otherwise, why would he have commanded us to do whatever we do for the glory of God? The eternal rewards of a God-focused work ethic means we don’t have to like our earthly bosses to have a positive mind-set about our work. And more often than not, our effort to please God with our work eventually wins over even the most hardnosed bosses we may encounter.
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Thanks for reminding, not only the teenagers, but the rest of us how we must deal with bosses. They are human, and they have daily problems as we do. Good work. Thomas
