At our
brunch on 21st September, Rachel helped us to look our work area of life in the
light of 1 Peter 2. By this stage, the
women had a brunch of fruit, croissants, sausages and juices and probably more
that I cannot remember now. Vivid in the
memory is the initial introducing of ourselves around the tables, sharing
something of our work-places with one another and then into discussion and
sharing, listening, learning. Once the
conversation got going, so many aspects of the Christian in the work-place came
to light and to the light of the Word.
Soooooo good!
But first,
Rachel’s talk which I share with you in slightly summarized form with a few
bullet points thrown in:
Over to
Rachel…
Let's read
verses 18-20 of 1 Peter 2.
“Slaves, in reverent fear of God
submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and
considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if
someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious
of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing
wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this
is commendable before God.”
“Slaves,
submit yourselves , to your masters with all respect…”
That’s the
key theme of Peter’s argument, how we relate to those with authority over
us at work.
Many of us
are workers. However, if we are not currently in paid employment don’t
stop reading. We may be employed in the future. Or we might have a
husband, children or friends who are in work. So maybe our role is to
support and guide them to be distinctive at work.
So how
does Peter say we are to live out our distinctiveness in the workplace?
Firstly, we are to submit to the authority of
our employer – “submit yourselves to your masters with all
respect”.
We are to
give respect and to show respect to those in authority over us. Fair
enough you might think, that doesn’t seem that distinctive. But notice
how Peter continues, “not only to those who are good and considerate,
but also to those who are harsh”.
Peter is
encouraging these Christians to respect those in authority, not only when our
boss or employers are good and considerate, but also when they are harsh.
A better translation for the word harsh is ‘crooked’.
What this
is about is an attitude of mind!
Now,
· it’s easy to submit to, and respect,
authority when it is exercised with integrity and consideration.
· It’s easy to work for someone like
that – it inspires loyalty!
· But……. what about a difficult boss,
unreasonable people?
It’s
not easy, but Peter says – show them ‘all respect’ (that’s the phrase he
uses).
Maybe
others around us won’t show them respect, but we should!
Giving
respect to those in authority over us is not just something we do face to
face.
What about
conversations over lunch when we talk about our boss?
Secondly Peter’s strategy for distinctiveness
focuses on how we behave at work.
Both of
his general strategies, 1) resist sin 2) and do good are evident in what Peter says
here.
Look again
at verse 20: “But how is it to your credit
if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer
for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.”
Behind
this Peter is exhorting us
1) against
doing wrong and
2) commending
us to ‘do good’.
And so, we are to
do behave in two ways.
Firstly in a way that means nothing
that could be held against us. We are be negligent, instead trustworthy
Some practical examples of this could be, ‘stealing time’; ‘stealing
stationary’; ‘unfairly blaming others for our mistakes’; ‘not pulling our
weight’.
Secondly, do what is expected of you and
more. Do a good job, yes, but add some value, work hard, excel in your
job!
God-willing
there will be impact. Those we work with and those we work for will see in us
and the way we live something different, something attractive...and they will
respond positively.
But……………………….
that’s not the result of our distinctiveness as Christ-followers that Peter is
focusing on here!
Instead
the impact Peter is speaking about is unjust
suffering!
When we
1) respect
those in authority over us in work and
2) behaving
in such a way that goes over and above what is expected of you,
3) doing
nothing that could be held against you,
we might
not be praised and commended instead we
might suffer.
How could
this look?
· When we don’t go along with the
office gossip about the boss, we might find ourselves shunned from
conversations.
· When we don’t bend the rules, even a
little, we might find ourselves passed over for that promotion.
· Or we might suffer as a direct result
of our faith.
· We might suffer because as Christians
we can’t submit to our boss. Submission is qualified in one
respect. Our fear of God qualifies submission to masters. There may
be occasions when employees have to say ‘no’ to an employer, because they are Christians.
This might lead to suffering.
It doesn’t
sound pleasant, does it? Suffering because we are distinctive as Christ’s
followers isn’t the greatest motivator to live distinctively.
So………..
Peter finishes chapter 2 with a better motivator.
Verses 21-25 say, “‘He committed no sin, and no deceit was
found in his mouth.’ When they hurled their insults at him, he did not
retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted
himself to him who judges justly. ‘He himself bore our sins’ in his body
on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; ‘by his
wounds you have been healed.’ For ‘you were like sheep going astray,’ but
now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.”
We live
this way, we risk suffering, because
· Christ suffered for us.
· He is our example
· and we should follow in his steps.
The full script of Rachel's talk can be traced here.
