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Conflict in the Work Place

Please explain how to tell a boss that claims to be a Christian but is not treating you fairly for years that you have a lot more to give his company. I already run a lot of the jobs and take extra pride in the work. My fellow workers also like me. He just keeps giving me bad jobs now and my fellow workers have even approached me about it. They are good people and care about me. My Boss says he's a Christian but his actions don't show it.

Let me start by saying that I have been where you are. In every job there is a certain amount of politics, where if you are liked you will be successful, but if you are not liked they may try to get you to quit. The problem is that we are dealing with two different parties and each has a responsibility to God. You have certain responsibilities toward God and so does this boss, especially if he is saved. Let's take a look at each party's responsibility and see what we can determine.

The Boss

  • Give that which is just and equal to the servants (Colossians 4:1)
  • Forbear threatening (Ephesians 6:9)

The Employee

  • Obey the masters according to the flesh (Ephesians 6:5)
  • Obey as unto Christ (Ephesians 6:5)
  • Obedience to masters according to the flesh is a proof of a healthy fear of God (Colossians 3:22)
  • Honour the master (boss) (1 Timothy 6:1)
  • Do not despise the master (boss) (1 Timothy 6:2)
  • Please the master well in all things (Titus 2:9-10)
  • Be subject not only to the good and gentle but also to the forward (1 Peter 2:18)

Looking at this list can be convicting to the servant I know, but there is also another aspect which we should look at, and it has to do with judgment. If you do right as a servant and the master (boss) continues to do you wrong according to the word of God, then God will sort it out at the judgment, the Judgment Seat of Christ if he is saved or the Great White Throne Judgment if he is lost.

The Boss

  • Receive the greater condemnation (James 3:1)
  • To whom much is given (Luke 12:48)
  • Receive for the wrong (Colossians 3:25)

Not only that but you will be rewarded for serving and according to the scriptures you are even called by God to suffer in such situations.

The Servant (Employee)

  • Good will be rewarded (Ephesians 6:8)
  • We shall receive the reward of the inheritance (Colossians 3:24)
  • It is a calling from God to suffer in such situations (1 Peter 2:18-21)

Now I can only imagine that you may feel like I am against you, but I am not at all against you. I often go through the same things that you are going through, but that doesn’t change the fact that we are responsible to God not for our bosses in the flesh but for us. I find that I have a hard enough time fulfilling my obligations as a servant (employee). As far as your relationship with the boss, perhaps you should ask him if there are things he would like to see you improve upon. If he tells you some things then apply yourself to making yourself better in these areas, remember by doing so you are serving Christ and fulfilling the will of God. In addition to this, you may want to pray that God will give you favour in the boss’s eyes, then sit back and watch the Lord work. Bringing something to a head is not always a good idea and tends to open the door to the flesh. I hope this has helped and if you are anything like myself you haven’t enjoyed the response, but pray about it and let the Lord speak. I’m not the final authority so if what I have said doesn’t line up with the scripture then junk my words and take God’s words.