Honor Up, Down, and All Around

This portion of scripture is often simplified to a boss/employee relationship. Though there is wisdom here for that relationship dynamic, we must not lose sight of what we are really looking at.

In the Roman Era slavery was very common place. Sometimes to pay off debt you would sell your self or your family into slavery for a time. Some cultures had very strict limits on what a slave could and could not be asked to do. Often people looked at it as a gift or mercy.

Make no mistake, slavery is awful. Slaves had no choice, agency, or power. They were, and are, used as little more that animals. Sometimes less.

Into this space Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, writes to slaves and also masters. It’s included in what is commonly referred to as “the house order.” As we go thought this portion I want you to keep a couple things in mind. 1. Slaves can’t just leave if they don’t like their masters. 2. Paul is assuming that the parties addressed in this letter are all present for the reading. 3. HE actually shows slaves honor by not only speaking to them first, but by addressing them at all.

With that in mind, lets dive in.

1. Sincere Service

Ephesians 6:5–6 NLT

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ. 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.

Slaves had no rights. Yet Paul, again, addresses them as if they are in attendance. This means that slaves and masters both listen to the same teaching in the same congregation. And here, we see Christianity destroying slavery from the inside out. How? Well, it starts with the fact that the slave is encouraged to serve the master as if he was doing it for Jesus. This means the master, slave owner, has no real power over the slave.

Like I said before, we often here these scriptures equated with a boss/employee relationship. Though there are principles that are transferable, the reality is we get to choose where we work. Slaves did not. If they had a “bad boss” they couldn’t give their 2 weeks and be done. They had to stick it out.

I believe we can learn something from this mandate from Paul. How I treat people and respond to people is more about me than them. How I serve is just as important as how I serve. When you serve someone, serve them as if you are serving the Lord.

2. Enthusiastic Service

Ephesians 6:7–8 NLT

Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free.

Sometimes serving is hard for me. I don’t want to. I am, at the core of my unredeemed humaness, selfish. To be really honest, sometimes it is really hard to serve my wife. I’m familiar with her. It’s easy to take her love for granted. I would work hard for my boss when he was looking, but not when he was on vacation. When the cats away, right? Now if my wife was being really sweet and nice to me, or my boss just gave me a raise, I’d work and serve really we with a lot of enthusiasm. At least for a while.

It is very easy to get into the mindset of, “I don’t get paid for that” or “my husband is a jerk so I’m not doing that for him.” What if we did everything as if it was for Jesus, not people? What if we got the mindset that Jesus gave us this job, this spouse, this family. So we serve them out of our love for Jesus?

Remember, nothing done for God is wasted.

3. Lead Like Jesus

Ephesians 6:9 NLT

Masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Don’t threaten them; remember, you both have the same Master in heaven, and he has no favorites.

This is what I mean by Christianity destroying slavery from the inside out. This short verse was revolutionary at the time. Remember all the thing Paul just told slaves to do in service to their masters? He just told masters to treat slaves the same way. Instead of saying “slavery is bad”, which no one would have understood at the time. Paul says, “masters should treat their slaves as they want to be treated.” Sound familiar?

This is showing us that in the kingdom of God there is no slaves or master. We are all on equal footing.

Like I said earlier, slaves didn’t have the option of finding other employment. Slaves are bought and sold to pay off debts. Paul is reminding the men and women society has put into places of authority that they are no different than those they are over.

What does this tell us today? We must lead like Jesus. So how did He lead? He imitated what He saw His Father do. He was strong in His convictions, but not abusive in His execution. He loved everyone, and sometimes that love meant doing what was best for the the person even if the person doesn’t understand.

I was listening to a Leadership podcast this week and something struck me. “Sometimes the most loving and caring thing you can do for a person is to let them go because they are out side of their calling.” (paraphrase)

Those of you who are leaders, managers, bosses, directors, buisness owners, remember that you need to be a servant leader. Sometimes you will have to lead people where they do not want to go. Love them as best you can through it. Treat they with the same dignity, honor, and respect you would hope they treat you.