The Kind Of Employee Jesus Would Hire

Today’s Bible readings are Numbers 4:1-5:31, Mark 12:18-37, Psalm 48:1-14, & Proverbs 10:26

Proverbs 10:26

²⁶ Lazy people irritate their employers, like vinegar to the teeth or smoke in the eyes.

This is a very bold statement. Some people don’t care what their bosses think about them. They would read a verse like this & say, “Who cares. My boss is a jerk.” I want to answer that question:  GOD CARES!

Why do you think this verse is in the bible? If this didn’t matter to God would He give us instruction on it? This is not the only place that work ethic is mention in the bible.

Ephesians 6:5-8

⁵ Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ. ⁶ Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. ⁷ Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. ⁸ Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free.

Some would argue that this is not for us today because we are not slaves. That is true, but all scripture is relevant for today. There are principals for us to take & apply to our lives. I see 3 principals in this text that teaches me Christian work ethic.

1.      Respect my boss.

You may not always agree with your boss.  That is OK. It is not your job to agree with them. It is your job to make their job lighter. You have been hired for a task. They pay you to work. So don’t get upset & complain when they have you work. That is what you are there for.

 Don’t join in the boss bashing at the workplace. The bible tells us to “judge no man that is not your servant”. You serve your boss, not the other way around. We are told to serve our boss the way we would serve Christ. Would you ever bash Jesus? I think not. SO DON’T BASH YOUR BOSS!

2.      Do good & work hard EVEN WHEN THEY AREN’T WATCHING.

I have a staff at our church that works with me. I NEVER have to follow them around & make sure they do what is expected of them. They do it & do it well. That is rare nowadays. Let me give you great word of advice—PUT YOUR STINKING CELL PHONES AWAY!!! Some people are more involved with their private life at work than they are with their work responsibilities. HEAR ME YOUNG PEOPLE, YOU DON’T GET PAID TO TEXT & TALK ON THE PHONE TO YOUR FRIENDS!

There is always stuff that we would rather not do. But again, you get paid to do what others don’t want to do. God will bless you for your faithfulness. Integrity in the workplace matter.

3.      Work with enthusiasm.

Stop being a grumbler. The dread of the job is ALWAYS worse than the job itself. You are doing it for Jesus. Do it with passion, zeal, & excellence. Nobody boss likes a sluggish, negative employee. If you want to be blessed, walk in the light of the scripture. Be an inspiration to those around you.

You are light & salt, always remember that. Work is one of the best places to let your light shine. Let’s get radical & start living our faith at our workplaces. I leave you with this encouragement:

Colossians 3:23-24

²³ Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, ²⁴ since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Pastor Richard Schlotter