When it comes to the 2nd great commandment to love others (Matt. 22:39) we have a much greater responsibility to show active love to those for whom we have some responsibility. We don’t have time to actively bless everyone in our vicinity, but following Christ means that we definitely bless those in our care.
This applies to our behavior in the workplace as well as to every other dimension of our lives. Business owners or executives are sometimes tempted to skimp on wages or benefits to employees in order to keep more for themselves. A Christian business owner may even justify this in their mind by thinking that the extra income allows them to give more to ministries. But obviously, skimping on wages is a very repulsive practice even for a non-Christian. An owner’s primary responsibility to their employees is to bless them. If there are extra profits, then the employees should benefit because there would be no extra profits without the employees. And every employee is just as valuable to God as the owner: “There is no favoritism with him” (Eph. 6:9, NIV).
How will miserly Christian businesspeople defend themselves on the day that God judges their lives (2 Cor. 5:10)? Therefore, if there are any profits at all, Christian business owners should pay their employees above the average wage and treat them as they would treat Jesus (see the parable of the sheep and goats at Matthew 25:31-46).
A Christian owner or manager should also be committed to the success of their employees, looking for ways to enrich their lives and equip them for success in the future. Employees should count themselves blessed to work for a Christian because they are patient, merciful, generous and committed to their employees. If someone is to be laid off of work, then a Christian should do it in a way that respects and honors that person. A Christian gives weight to their employees’ words, especially when they are airing grievances. The same goes for Christian public servants who should also be known for their honesty, fairness, peacemaking, humility, servanthood and kindness especially in their public interactions. All this is implied in Jesus’ statement: “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them . . . But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves” (Luke 22:25-26, NIV).
