Basic Instructions for Everyday Living!
The Bible has been referred to as Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth! It is an appropriate reference, for chocked through the sixty-six books are clear instructions as to how we should live, with ourselves and with others. None is more clear than the following verses in Ephesians 6:
4 Fathers, don’t over-correct your children or make it difficult for them to obey the commandment. Bring them up with Christian teaching in Christian discipline.
5-8 Slaves, obey your human masters sincerely with a proper sense of respect and responsibility, as service rendered to Christ himself; not with the idea of currying favour with men, but as the servants of Christ conscientiously doing what you believe to be the will of God for you. You may be sure that God will reward a man for good work, irrespectively of whether the man be slave or free.
9 And as for you employers, be as conscientious and responsible towards those who serve you as you expect them to be towards you, neither misusing the power over others that has been put in your hands, nor forgetting that you are responsible yourselves to a heavenly employer who makes no distinction between master and man. Ephesians 6:5-9 (PHILLIPS)
We see here the way we need to operate in home, society, and in the workplace. As always it begins in the home. Setting the proper tone at home is the start of a good day for everyone. And the tone should be set by the father. In a perfect world (like God originally instituted in the Garden), fathers came equipped to understand how they were aligned with Father God and as such could model and teach that kind of alignment to their children. We live in a day today where if there is a father in the home, the likelihood of his having been properly taught is questionable. However, this does not disqualify this scripture, it is what we strive for and through prayer and God’s grace it is as achievable now as it was when Paul wrote these words.
While we don’t have as many nations that ascribe to slavery, some "free" men might feel as if they are treated as slaves on their jobs. And then there is the new black, called "orange" – where thousands upon thousands of men and women are enslaved in prison, with some not even being guilty. Nonetheless, whatever station we find ourselves, these words in Ephesians 5-6 apply. For no matter what our social status is on earth, we are "servants of Christ’ and as such we are obliged to live as Christ did, whether slave or free!
Finally, if all employers would apply the words of verse 9 how different the world would be. Power does not have to to be corrupt; people with power do not have to be abusesive. God, who is our ultimate source of employment does not make a distinction between the employer and the employee. We are all subject to His commandments and required to walk in His Way.
Yes, there are those in all these categories who do not walk in this manner, and some of those say they are Christians. Thank God He does not charge us guilty with no hope of recourse. When we repent, when we seek His face for a better way, those twins of mercy and grace lead us to the One who can change our lives, every part of our lives, HIs Name is Jesus.
Maria