"An Employee's Attitude"

Sept.5/04 Labour Day Luke 16:1-13; Col.3:22-25; Eph.6:5-8

A Black Mark on the Record

Labour Day weekend is supposed to be a holiday in honour of all the workers in stores and companies and farms upon whose backs our economy is built. The Bible has some advice for labourers of all sorts that will guide them to not just good relations with their employers, but stand them in good stead for eternity. Jesus in His parables would show us what to be working FOR: that although the job's important, it's not the main thing. Our earthly experience is but a training ground, an opportunity to learn sincerity, obedience, and trustworthiness in preparation for lasting roles in eternal life.

      Two employees of Hollinger International Inc were in the news this past week, but it wasn't an award for good behaviour. A special committee of the company reported that former chairman Conrad Black and associate David Radler engaged in “self-righteous and aggressive looting” of the company, creating what the report termed a “corporate kleptocracy” that cost the newspaper publisher 95% of its profit over seven years - some US$400 million. The allegations have not been proven in court, but are based on an in-depth 14-month internal investigation. The report states, “The evidence reviewed by the committee establishes an overwhelming record of abuse, overreaching, and violations of fiduciary duties by Black and Radler...[the pair] made it their business to line their pockets at the expense of Hollinger almost every day, in almost every way they could devise.” Here are some of the expenses they had rung up:

- a US$7,605 flight on the Concorde for Lord Black, even though the company had a corporate jet that was often used for personal travel;

- senior executives used company money to make donations in their own names to charities;

- $42,870 for a 60th birthday party for Lord Black's wife, at which some 80 guests "enjoyed dinner at $212 a plate, including Beluga caviar, lobster ceviche, and 69 bottles of fine wine.” Now that must have been some party!

Kleptomaniacs are not the kind of employee you want working in a firm - whether they're just in charge of a single till, or are controlling shareholders of billion-dollar corporations. Surprisingly, Jesus told a parable in which a manager likewise acted dishonestly in his own interest, and was commended for it.

A Shrewd Dishonest Manager and Surprising Boss

This parable Jesus tells in Luke 16 is so real-world it could have jumped off the first page of the business section. A rich man catches wind that his right-hand man has been bilking him, "wasting his possessions". Dishonesty and embezzlement are implied. The big boss orders the steward to turn in the books and give a final accounting - but for some reason still leaves the manager with authority to conduct business (not smart as we'll see in retrospect). The crooked steward can't bear the thought of physical labour or the shame of begging, so concocts a plan to offer discounts to his master's debtors who have current outstanding amounts. Thus he hopes to pave the way for future possibilities and payback for the generosity he's extending at his unwitting master's expense. One debtor owing 800 gallons of olive oil receives a 50% markdown; another client owing 1000 bushels of wheat receives 20% off. Just as Black and Radler were very free with the other shareholders' money, this man wastes no time in creating useful contacts by gypping his master of hundreds or thousands of dollars' worth of profit.

His clever plan, while brilliant, is "dishonest", as Jesus calls it (v8). This is not a parable that's supposed to be taken directly as an example, in a "go thou and do likewise" sense. But isn't this just like people? Before we get too "down" on our creative crook, consider how we become desperate and are tempted to cut corners when pressures mount. Elizabeth Achtemeier comments, "So what is this story doing in the New Testament anyway...? Jesus told it because it is a very good picture of you and me. Not that we are cheaters or social parasites living off our friends...Jesus told this parable because it portrays how shrewd we are. We know how to get along in the world, don't we? We know how to turn things to our advantage."

Which of us doesn't look for a break, a good deal, a short cut? It's quite acceptable, almost expected, that if you manage to find a real bargain, you get to brag about it. We delight in overcoming difficult circumstances by coming up with bright ideas - whether or not it's always 100% ethical. We manage - sometimes at others' expense.

The irregularities at Hollinger International did not happen all at once; they were part of a pattern fostered over a long period of time. The internal report notes, “To fully gauge the level of Black and Radler's disregard for shareholder interests, one must step back from individual transactions and note the myriad of schemes, fiduciary abuses and fraudulent acts that were used to transfer essentially the entire earnings output of Hollinger over a seven-year period to the controlling shareholders.” It wasn't one fell swoop, but an accumulation of incremental slices. Not a single deliberate act, but an ongoing and growing attitude. Bible Commentator Robertson notes, "Men who embezzle large sums began with small sums."

However when the big boss finds out what the manager has done, his reaction is surprising. Jesus says in v8, "The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly." Maybe he was so rich he didn't mind absorbing several thousand dollars' worth of loss. Maybe he admired the steward's shrewdness - seeing in him a little glimmer of the hard-nosed conniving that had gotten the rich man his own initial wealth. Maybe he just got up on the right side of the bed that day. Whatever the reason, the reaction is amazing. He actually commends the manager -- "Atta boy, Steve! You've really learned how to look out for number one, haven't you? That's 'cuz you learned from one of the best!"

In some ways, this is nothing other than amazing grace. For that's how God deals with us. We're given life as a precious trust, we're put here to manage what belongs to someone else. Yet we start skimming off the top for ourselves and ignoring our creator's wishes. We don't pay Him the "interest" He deserves. We cut corners on the "contract", the covenant. Yet God forgives us. He absorbs the cost of the wrong we've done, all the ways we've shortchanged him. The cross of Jesus is God's crazy way of settling accounts with us: the wounds that we deserved for our sin, fell on Him. In sheer grace, He commends us when we commit to Christ, despite all our moral failure, our impossible-to-settle accounts. "The punishment that brought us peace was upon Him...the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all...For He bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." (Is.53:5f,12) Our debt to God was huge, unpayable: but Jesus negotiated terms on our behalf.

Attitude Check (1): Primary Loyalty to the Lord

So what guidance does the Bible give for ethically-minded employees, if the dishonest manager isn't meant to be our example? The Apostle Paul wrote a couple of very short, 4-verse passages to the churches at Ephesus and Colosse that address what the proper attitude for an employee should be. These tie in with Jesus' own teaching later in Luke 16. First of all, our primary loyalty needs to be to our Lord, not even our boss. In the first century, there were millions of slaves in the Roman Empire. Paul speaks in terms of these, but the broad principles are the same for any worker.

In Colossians 3(22-24) we read that employees are to exhibit "reverence for the Lord"; we are to be "working for the Lord, not men"; "It is the Lord Christ you are serving." Not the person who signs your paycheque. In Eph.6(5-7), they're to be obedient to earthly masters "just as you would obey Christ"; they are "slaves of Christ", serving "as if you were serving the Lord, not men." There's always someone looking over our boss's shoulder - God will be the One who holds us finally accountable (and will also hold our employer accountable).

Jesus underlined this issue of primary loyalties when he ended His lesson in Luke 16 with these words: "No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." God is the Boss who ultimately matters, not how many trinkets or "clutter" we accumulate in this life. To quote the Hollinger report, "The cash the insiders pursued so ravenously did not come from taking an aggressive share of the growth of an expanding firm..." That ravenous pursuit of money has brought public disgrace.

"My boss is a Jewish Carpenter", as the saying goes. Knowing God's in control has implications for everything I do, especially the way I work. Whatever I do matters to God, even if it's just washing the dishes. As Brother Lawrence discovered, that can be done "unto the Lord". A Christian's occupation is never "just a job", whether or not it's in your field of expertise: any work is a training ground the Lord seeks to use to build His character in us. Knowing God is my boss lends a certain dignity to employment as well. In God's eyes there are no menial tasks, just menial attitudes if we're not careful. The Bible teaches that in the next life, the saints "will judge the world" (1Cor.6:2) - that's our job description after death. And if we are mistreated or shortchanged in our employment now, the courts or grievance process or Compensation Board are not the final venue of appeal: the Lord will repay perpetrators, if there's any avenging to be done (Rom.12:19).

Attitude Check (2): Ultimate Values - More than Money

When searching for a job or planning a career, it is normal to give some consideration to the hourly wage. Some jobs just pay minimum wage; others pay double or triple that amount. While parents encourage their kids to "get a good job", that shouldn't be the only consideration. Some jobs with low wages but a lot of "people interaction" may have a higher ministry potential for Christ's Kingdom than specialist careers that bring in oodles of money but stress, headaches, and heart troubles along with it.

Compensation for what we do in life does not stop at the figures on our T4. Paul writes, "You know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward...Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong." (Col.3:24f) And, conversely to the Ephesians (6:8), "You know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free." God will repay or reward us for what we do.

The crisis in the parable of the unjust steward was the looming transition out of his previous situation. His concern was what he could do so that, "when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses." (Lk.16:4) Now, Jesus wasn't telling this story just for guidance on how to transition comfortably between the 3 or 4 jobs 21st century workers are expected to have in the course of their career. He was warning us about the transition out of this life altogether, at our death. What are we doing NOW to prepare for when we die? If we're just living for this life, we'll be woefully disappointed. He said (v9), "I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings." He spoke of "true riches" and "property of your own" that we'll only be eligible for after death, in contrast to "worldly wealth" (literally, "the mammon of unrighteousness" - sounds perilously infectious, doesn't it?...like old mattresses piled high at the dump, losing their corners). James the brother of our Lord challenged believers by saying, "You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God." (Jas.4:4)

Here's a quick check-up for you on whether you're being enchanted by money rather than influenced by the Good-spell about Jesus. The Life Application Bible asks, "How can you tell if you are a slave to Money? 1) Do you think and worry about it frequently? 2) Do you give up doing what you should do or would like to do in order to make more money? 3) Do you spend a great deal of your time caring for your possessions? 4) Is it hard for you to give money away? 5) Are you in debt?"

Jesus cautions us that this world's goods are not "true riches", not really "property of your own": there is an "inheritance from the Lord" we will receive as our lasting reward. Our permanent compensation comes after judgment. Whether we go to heaven is based on our faith in Christ, not our works; yet the Bible promises rewards there based on our deeds now. 1Cor.3(10-15) is quite clear: "...Each one should be careful how he builds.For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day [that is, of Judgment] will bring it to light.It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work.If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward.If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames." What are you building that will last then?

Attitude Check (3): Excellence in Serving

Given the fact that our primary loyalty is to the Lord as "boss" whatever earthly master we serve; and that our focus is not to be on transitory money and worldly wealth, but higher values that will matter in eternity; Christians ought to have one of the highest work ethics in industry, knowing that our roles matter beyond the paycheque -- God Himself is taking note. Whether the shareholders or audit committee or SEC know about our dealings or not.

Paul emphasizes our serving is to be with what he terms "sincerity of heart...Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart..." "Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men." (Col.3:22f; Eph.6:5,7) That raises the standard. It certainly helps if our employer recognizes and values our contribution, but it doesn't just depend on him or her; what really matters to us is the Lord's opinion. In both passages Paul warns against what he calls "eyeservice", obeying "only when their eye is on you and to win their favour" (Col.3:22; Eph.6:6). That attitude says, "If the boss didn't see it, it didn't count;" or, "If the boss isn't looking, I can slack off." Integrity, though, can be defined as "what you are when no one is looking." Because it's coming from your heart, for God who sees all, not on just a human plane.

Paul also stresses in both passages that workers are to OBEY their earthly masters - "with respect and fear" (Col.3:22; Eph.6:5); literally, "fear and trembling". Obedience. It's not a popular word these days, mainly reserved for getting our pooches to sit or roll over. But it's the basic thing an employer looks for in an employee: Will they do the job? Can they follow instructions? Our rebellious fallen sinful nature chafes at obedience because it limits our so-called "freedom", it hurts our pride, we want to do what WE want to do, not what someone else tells us to do. Yet it was in learning to be obedient from the prison dungeon on up that Joseph proved himself worthy of being entrusted with governorship of the world's leading empire of the time. Can you follow orders? Can you stick with a job list and not get sidetracked? Can you look past the epaulets on your commanding officer's shoulder (metaphorically speaking) and see the Lord as the One you're really answering to? Obedience for Paul isn't an absolute virtue in itself, but "AS for the Lord" / "AS IF serving the Lord" (Col.3:23; 6:7).

Finally, and fundamentally, we are to work in a way that's TRUSTWORTHY. Lawsuits and court cases are pending because Hollinger's two controlling shareholders essentially robbed all the others of cash. The report says the company was “systemically manipulated and used by its controlling shareholders for their sole benefit, and in a manner that violated every concept of fiduciary duty.” And, “Not once or twice, but on dozens of occasions Hollinger was victimized by its controlling shareholders as they transferred to themselves and affiliates more than $400-million in the last seven years...” They couldn't be trusted; they showed they were not worthy of the responsibility that had been committed to them.

In telling the parable, Jesus pointed out it wasn't just a matter of being ready for the transition to eternity, but of being trusted on both sides of that transition. This earthly life with its jobs magnificent and menial is preparation, a test of what's really inside us. Christ said, "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?" (Luke 16:10ff) This job, these goods, are like monopoly money. What's important is not their value in themselves, passing as they are, but in how we handle them.

If I can lie For you...

In the Alpha course, Nicky Gumbel tells the story about a particular jewellery store, where a young man worked as a sales clerk. One day the telephone rang and the young man answered it. It was for the boss, but he didn't want to take the call. So the boss told this fellow who'd answered, "Tell them I'm not here." The young man looked at the boss for a moment, then handed him the phone saying, "You tell them yourself." The boss glared at him, then grabbed the phone. After the conversation concluded, the boss proceeded to vent his rage at the employee. But the young man replied, "If I can lie for you, then I can lie to you." Until he retired at an old age, that man was the most trusted and valued employee at the prestigious store.

The Lord calls us to be trustworthy, wholehearted workers, for Him foremost but also for our earthly employers. These wages down here will pass, but He's eagerly waiting to compensate us with true riches - what will be our very own, forever. That calls for some shrewd (but honest!) foresight. Let's pray.