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You Should Obey Your Boss

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So, who is Your Boss?

A boss is a person who is in charge and tells others what to do. This doesn’t mean being told what to do is a bad thing. If it’s done in the right way, it gives us guidance and helps us to be better. We all have a variety of bosses in our lives.

The question is which one(s) are you going to obey?

obey your boss, handshake

With Labor Day happening last Monday, Pastor Lisa’s message was about doing the right work for the right reason.

Labor Day was started to bring attention to workers who were being taken advantage of. I alluded to this in my previous post.

Like so many things, it was started for a good reason, but along the way many have lost sight of the reason behind it. Too many times now it’s just another holiday to get out of work.

The question is, who are you working for?

This question needs to be asked and answered.

In Colossians 3:22-24, Paul tells the Colossians a new way to live and work.

colossians

He tells them to obey their bosses. Try to please them all the time, not just when you think they are watching. He also tells them that when they are working for their bosses with their whole heart, they are also honoring God.

“Work willingly, as though you were serving the Lord himself, and not just your earthly boss. In fact, the Lord Christ is the one you are really working for, and you know he will reward you.”

It is easy to get caught up in the daily routine of our work here on earth.

This is why it’s important to take a day like Labor Day to stop and reflect on what our work is and who we’re working for.

We may think we know what is right, but the Lord is the judge of our motives. Share your plans with the Lord, and you will succeed (Proverbs 16:2-3).

Decide who you’re going to work for. Who’s your boss going to be?

boss desk, empty

Labor Day and My Problem With It

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The Difference of Labor and Work

Labor Day is one of my three favorite holidays each year. Christmas being my favorite. (This is no big surprise). Labor Day and New Year’s Day are tied for the second spot. These two are not typically ranked in most people’s top three.

My extended family celebrates both holidays in an almost identical way. Both start with parades in the morning and conclude by spending the rest of the day playing games, eating, and enjoying time with family.

Labor Day potluck

This doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy the other holidays, because I do. These three are just my favorites.

As I was looking forward to the upcoming holiday, I began thinking about the reason behind the celebration. Labor Day was started to show appreciation for the hard-working labor force in America in the late 1800’s.

We often forget the reasons behind holidays.

We need to remember the reason for this and all holidays. Don’t just look at it as another reason to barbecue with friends or go to the lake.

The problem I have with Labor Day is the view that there is a separation between labor and management or employees and business owners.

No doubt there’s a difference in the roles of these two groups. Too often it’s seen as a battle between the two. It’s us against them. There certainly have been and still are situations where this is true.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

This attitude is a problem for both groups. It’s a view that there is a limited amount of pie and if I don’t get my piece, there may not be any left.  

This “scarcity thinking” in a world of abundance isn’t beneficial to either side. God will provide enough for everybody if we do the work we’ve been called to do. If we would quit viewing labor and management as two competing entities.

Instead, we should look at both as being on the same team working together. Then both would benefit.

Having been on both sides of the employee/owner relationship, I can tell you that both work hard to achieve success. It is easy to look at other people and think they have it easy. This is rarely the case.

If all involved work hard together toward the same goal everybody wins.

The definition of labor focuses mainly on the physical, while work refers to both physical and mental actions. Work seems less divisive than labor. We can and should work together toward the same goal.

On the first Monday of September this year, I’m going to celebrate WORK instead of labor.

Revised from previous post.

The History of Labor Day and My Problem with It

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Labor and Work…What’s the Difference?

 

Labor Day is one of my three favorite holidays each year. Christmas being my favorite, which is no big surprise. Labor Day and New Year’s Day are tied for the second spot. These two are not typically ranked in most people’s top three.

 

My extended family celebrates both holidays in an almost identical way. They start with parades in the morning and conclude by spending the rest of the day, into the evening, playing games, eating and enjoying time with family. This doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy all the other holidays, because I do. These three are just my favorites.

 

As I was looking forward to the upcoming Labor Day I began thinking about the reason behind the celebration. Labor Day was started as a way to show appreciation for the hard-working labor force in America in the late 1800s. We often forget the reasons behind holidays. We need to remember the reason for this and all holidays and not just look at it as another reason to barbeque with friends or go to the lake.

The problem I have with Labor Day comes from the perception that there is a separation between labor and management / employees and business owners.

There’s no doubt a difference in the roles of these two groups, but too often it is seen as a confrontational battle between the two. It is a mindset of our side against theirs. There certainly have been and still are situations where this is true.

It doesn’t have to be this way. This attitude is a problem for both groups. It’s a view that there is a limited amount and if I don’t get my piece of the pie, there may not be any left. This scarcity thinking in a world of abundance isn’t beneficial to either side. God will provide enough for everybody.

If we would quit viewing labor and management as two competing entities and instead look at both as on the same team working together, both would benefit.

 

Having been on both sides of the employee/owner relationship I can tell you that both work hard to achieve success. If all involved work hard together toward the same goal everybody wins. It is easy to look at other people and think they have it easy, but rarely is that the case.

The definition of labor focuses mainly on the physical while work (link) refers to both physical and mental actions. Work seems less divisive than labor. We can and should work together toward the same goal.

On the first Monday of September this year I’m going to celebrate WORK instead of labor.