Craig T. Owens

Have you ever had a bad boss? One who was harsh, unreasonable, overly demanding, or just a plain meany? Do you think working for a “bad boss” means that you get to lower your standards?

Not if you are a Christian!

Christians are on Earth to represent Jesus. We are aliens and strangers here for a short time, but here to also point people toward Heaven. One place we have tremendous opportunity to do this is on our jobs.

Think about it: most people will work 30-40 hours per week, and probably work 40-50 years of their life. That’s a lot of hours in which to show that living for Jesus makes all the difference in the world. 

Peter addresses our work situation in his first epistle. In essence he says, “You may not be able to control your boss’s actions, but you can control your reactions. A Christian has a different attitude about workplace employers than Earthlings do.”

The two things that set Christian employees apart is their submission and their respect.

Submission means understanding the proper order. This isn’t just showing up on time, wearing the right uniform and checking off the right things on your job description. All of those things can be done with a lousy attitude, with an attitude that’s nothing like Christ’s attitude.

Submission means viewing our employers differently—

• Obeying them like we would obey Jesus (Ephesians 6:5).
• Being sincere when we say, “Yes, I’d be happy to do that” (Ephesians 6:5).
• Working hard even when our employer isn’t watching us (Ephesians 6:6).

• Working wholeheartedly (Ephesians 6:7).
• Not working for an earthly paycheck, but for God’s reward (Colossians 3:23-24).
• Submitting, respecting and working like Jesus would (1 Peter 2:21-23).
• Making sure I am a joy to my boss, and never a burden (Hebrews 13:17).

With that in mind, here are five ways to be an “alien employee.” That is, someone who honors God on-the-job…

1. Work for God.
2. Trust God to be your Provider, not your employer.
3. Trust God to keep perfect records of your faithful service.
4. Pray for God’s blessing on your employer.
5. Pray for your employer to see Jesus in your work ethic.

Here’s a great question to ask yourself: If Jesus were filling out my employee evaluation, what would He say about my work ethic? 

If you’ve missed any messages in this series, you may find the complete list by clicking here.