Subject Yourself to Your Masters

Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good and gentle but also to the unjust. For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.

(1 Peter 2:18-19)

I have been a servant to many nasty, mean and unjust masters in my life. Even though I grumbled under my breath, I always tried to do my best when it came to my work. I guess you could say, I suffered in silence. I had one who took credit with his master for the work I had done. Another was physically abusive when he thought I wasn’t trying hard enough. At the time, it wasn’t silent because I was a believer in Jesus. It was because I didn’t see an alternative where I would have better treatment. I could have rebelled and refused to work under the unfair conditions.

Now that I am a follower of Jesus Christ, I’m not supposed to fight and rebel against an unfair master. I’m certainly not supposed to injure or kill my master. I’m told to subjugate myself to my master. It’s very easy to be gracious when I’m treated with kindness but how do I react when my treatment is poor or even appalling. Why does it matter to God how I react to a bad boss even when no one else is around? Because he loves that bad boss too. My reaction may be the cause for that boss to actually repent and come to Christ…or NOT coming to him.

An unsaved co-worker, even a tyrannical employer is waiting and watching for my reactions to bad treatment. My normal first response would be an outburst of anger. That would only make them think I’m not any different from them. That’s not what God wants from me. He wants me to display the same graciousness when I’m getting walked all over, as when I’m being showered with praises and rewards. My actions may be the only witness of what being a Christian is for my master, whoever that is. I am called to be different, an example of Christ on earth.

I think being subjugated to an earthly master helps me to submit my whole life to the Master of all things. It’s nice when things are going good and life is easy, just as if I were at work. It’s when the trials come that I’m tempted to turn my back on my Master and rely on my own strengths. That’s when I want to resist and challenge him for control of my life. He knows how hard it is for me to act with civility when I’m harshly treated but if I endure, I have the favor of God and I’m living in his will. 

Father God you are the example we have for fairness and justice. We pray that if the day comes when we are masters over one or more servants, that we can use your example for how to treat them. Everyone is a servant to someone, even presidents and princes must answer to someone. Father when our masters are kind and just, like you are, it’s easy to be subservient to them. When we are praise for a job well done, or we’re given a higher salary as a reward, we always love and work harder for that master. Give us the same heart to please our masters even when they are mean and cruel. Remind us you love them, just as you love us. Instead of balking at bad treatment, help us to return their depravity with kindness and submission. We have to realize these poor masters usually have no knowledge of who you are. We may be their only experience with who Jesus really is. It’s in his name, we pray. Amen!