A Job Well Done.  1 Timothy 6.1-2

Hello. 

Here’s the scene:  Mark gets up to take a break from his computer screen in his office, goes to grab a cup of coffee down the hall.  There is already another employee, ‘Joe’, with the same idea, pouring his coffee … when a third employee walks in and says, ‘Hey Mark, I saw you across the aisle at church the other day; that’s cool, Man. . .’  Does Joe think to himself, ‘Ah, so that explains it—I didn’t know that Mark is a believing kind of guy, but yeah, that accounts for him always going the extra mile around this place …’

OR … does Joe’s head whip around, mouth agape, while he is thinking, ‘Seriously, Mark … Mark is a religious guy?  No way.  Never has a good word to say about anybody, quick to throw someone else under the bus … and usually the first one out of here in the afternoon.’ 

If you and I are followers of Jesus, then who we are on the job really matters.  No, I’m not saying our buddy ‘Mark’ has to have a dictionary-size Bible on his desk or hum church tunes on his way to the men’s room.  But I am saying that he ought to be seen as one hard-working guy, who exhibits humility, treats others with respect, gets along, and has a good attitude toward the boss. 

In chapter five of First Timothy, Paul has been talking about honoring others—specifically the elderly and widows; in the same spirit, he addresses slaves:

“All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered. 2 Those who have believing masters should not show them disrespect just because they are fellow believers. Instead, they should serve them even better because their masters are dear to them as fellow believers and are devoted to the welfare of their slaves.  These are the things you are to teach and insist on.” 1 Timothy 6.1-2

‘Wait, did you say slaves?  Paul addresses slaves and how they should treat their masters, but does not condemn slavery?  I have loved getting to know the fiber of Paul’s character, but man, this completely angers me.  Why didn’t Paul take this opportunity to condemn slavery?’

Once again, the historical cultural setting is critical to understand. 

Paul is writing to Timothy, who is pastoring the church in Ephesus, under the tyranny of the Roman government.  At that time, there were about 60 million slaves in the Roman Empire. Any revolt by slaves led to severe punishment, often-times death, because Rome could ill afford such rebellion.  For the young Church to take on the slavery matter at this time would have been disastrous; actually, that’s an understatement.  It would likely have annihilated Christianity.  Instead, as Christianity grew and permeated society, in the end, slaves were voluntarily freed.¹ Reform—true life and heart change—comes through the slow penetration of the Holy Spirit into the human situation.  It happens in God’s time, not ours.  It happens in God’s way, not ours. 

Yesterday, I sat across from someone who was commenting on recent changes that have been happening within him, in his family and even his work world.  He had difficulty expressing how those changes came to be, except that he did say that he has recently been reading the Bible, (a new thing for him), praying more and just generally thinking a whole lot more about God.  And somehow through it, he feels different, and he feels he is not alone…

After listening, taking in his every word, blink and at points heightened emotion, I quietly said, ‘that is the Holy Spirit.’ Reform—true life and heart change—comes through the slow penetration of the Holy Spirit into the human situation.  It happens in God’s time, not ours.  It happens in God’s way, not ours. 

The process that is going on?  Well, the scriptural term is sanctification.

Big word, churchy word, but biblical.  Paul used it when he wrote to the church at Thessalonica:  May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.²

On the job, in your home, on the golf course, or at lunch with the girls – may your conduct be reflective of your growing faith in Jesus.  May yours be a job well done.