Be Prepared for 2017:
Masters
And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do
not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is
in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him. Ephesians 6:9
Think about
this verse for a minute in light of the history our country has had with
slavery. How would you have treated your slaves if you had been a slave owner
back in the day? Would you have regarded them as merely property or would you
have valued their lives? Fortunately we will never know the answer to that
question.
Many of us,
though, are supervisors or employers. How do we treat those “under” us? Are we
better than they are? Are they less significant than we are? Do we have a
condescending attitude toward them?
According
to this Ephesians passage, we are all important in the Master’s eyes. He has
never treated us with disdain or impatience, but with respect and appreciation
– no matter what our social standing. (Note the woman at the well, the
children, the lepers, the religious leaders, etc. -- Jesus was kind to them
all.)
I think how
we treat people is a direct result of how much we love and respect them. So in
this case our actions really do speak louder than words. And the admonition to
“Love your neighbor” takes on clearer meaning. And by not
showing any favoritism, we are better prepared to face the things that life
throws at us in 2017.
Lord, help us to remember that in your eyes we are
all important – slave or free – employee or employer. You love us dearly. Help
us to reciprocate that to everyone we encounter, no matter who they are or how
they treat us.
No comments:
Post a Comment