Apples of Gold
Radio Script for May 27, 2008
“How Do You Feel About Your Boss Today?”
Hello, I’m Doug Apple…with Apples of Gold.
Most of us are employees.
We work for someone who pays us.
That gives them a certain power in our lives.
When you have a job, and when you actually need that paycheck, not for “blow money,” but to pay for your basic necessities – then your employer plays a key role in your life.
So how do you feel about your boss today? Do you really like them, or do they act like they’ve sold their soul to the devil?
And what does the Bible say? Does the Bible offer any advice to employees?
Well, if you search most versions of the Bible, you won’t find the word “employee.” It’s not even in the Amplified Bible. So now what?
When I can’t find a reference to my specific situation, then I start looking for the heart of God based on similar situations. And something similar to an employee is…a slave.
Now don’t laugh! I’m not saying employees are slaves. But when I read the advice for slaves in the New Testament, I think I see the heart of God for employees.
First Peter 2:18 says, “Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters…”
That means surrender to their will. When your boss tells you to do something you don’t want to do, don’t fight. Just surrender. Let your will become their will.
“Okay, I’ll do it, but I’ll let everyone know I think it’s dumb.”
Back to verse 18. It says to submit to your masters “with all respect.” That means yes, we do what they say, but even more than that, we show them “all respect” while doing it.
“Sure, Doug, but you don’t know my boss. He doesn’t deserve respect.”
Okay. Back to verse 18. It says to show respect, “not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.”
“But Doug, I don’t deserve to be treated this way.”
Let’s say you don’t. Your boss treats you harshly and you don’t deserve it. Now what?
First Peter 2:19 says it is commendable to put up with it. Verse 20 says, “…if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.” Then it talks about how Jesus suffered when He didn’t deserve it.
Now what if your boss is so bad that they are breaking the law? Do you let them get away with it?
No. In that case the law is the higher authority. You need to take steps to hold them accountable.
But usually tough bosses aren’t breaking the law. They’re just tough. Maybe unpleasant. You might think of them as “slave drivers.”
Or maybe you think they just don’t know what they are doing. Yet they are your boss, telling you what to do.
Ephesians 6:5 says, “Slaves, obey your earthly masters…just as you would obey Christ.”
Now listen to this. I think when your boss tells you to do something, unless it is a sin, then that becomes the will of God in your life.
Look at Ephesians 6:6. “Obey them…like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.”
This is how we should think as employees. When our boss says it, it is like God saying it. When we do what our boss says, it is like doing what God says. It is doing the will of God.
Ephesians 6:7 says, “Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men…”
See, when our boss tells us to do something, we don’t think of it as doing something for them. We think of it as doing something for God.
“God, if this is what You want me to do, I will do it. I will do it respectfully, and sincerely, and I will do it with all my heart – for You.”
Now let’s look at a big temptation for employees. It’s tempting to work hard when the boss is watching, but then to slack off when he isn’t. We work harder at jobs we will be accountable for, but if we think no one really cares, we get lazy.
That won’t happen when we do every job as if we are serving the Lord. Colossians 3:22 says, “Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you…”
Sometimes we slack off when we don’t see a pay off. But with the Lord, there is always a payoff. Colossians 3:24 says the Lord will reward us. When we work, we are working for Him.
Titus 2:9 indicates that we should not talk back to our employer.
Verse 10 says we should not steal from them.
We should work in such a way that our boss knows they can fully trust us, whether they are around or not. We won’t disrespect them behind their back, and we won’t slack off when they’re not looking.
Titus 2:10 puts the icing on the cake. As Christian employees, when we behave like this on the job, it makes the Gospel more attractive to our employers.
As Christians, we should stand out in the workplace. And it will happen as we realize it’s not about serving men, but in our job, everyday, we are actually the servants of God.
Comments?
E-mail me: dougapple@wave94.com.
May God bless you today! With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
You might say, “But my boss doesn’t want me to advance. If I do what he says, I will be stuck below him forever.” Well here is a verse for you. Proverbs 22:29 says, “Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men.” So do your best work possible, and you are bound to advance.
Also, the Bible doesn’t say that slaves had to be slaves forever. First Corinthians 7:21 says, “…if you can gain your freedom, do so.” If your boss is like a harsh slave master, you are not bound to stay there. Yes, do your best while you are there. But “if you can gain your freedom, do so.”
© 2008 The Arrow’s Tip
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(Proverbs 25:11 – “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”)
Why “The Arrow’s Tip”? Each morning, after diligently seeking the Lord, I write Apples of Gold. Then before I release it to the public I pray one final prayer, “Lord, send forth your arrows.” I envision Apples of Gold as arrows, tips dipped in the river of the water of life that flows from the throne of God (Rev. 22:1), sailing toward the hearts and minds of men and women around the world.
Doug Apple
General Manager - Wave 94
Christian Radio for Tallahassee
PO Box 4105
Tallahassee, FL 32315
(850) 926-8000
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