Walk circumspectly Chapter 6v1-9
a) In the home verses 1-4
b) In the workplace verses 5-9
Christianity is to affect our walk, our deeds, our demeanour, our lifestyle, in every aspect of life. Perhaps the two places where it will be most challenging is in the two spheres above.
a) Parents and children in the sphere of the home; there are demands made of both. The secret of it all is to bring the Lord into the relationship......"Children obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right." This is in accordance with the fifth commandment, of the ten , but which is the first commandment with promise. This commandment applies to all children in all homes, but it should be particularly true in Christian homes. The promise is stated in Deuteronomy 5v18, "..that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee."
Length of days and quality of days are in this promise. An illustration of this principle is recorded in Jeremiah 35 v18-19. We are all tenants on God's earth....scripture makes clear that God our creator determines the length of our days, and, indeed, the bounds of our habitation Acts 17 vv21-28.. We are all dependent on Him for all things in life, it is therefore a wise choice to obey His will. He has given us all parents to guide us, and he expects us to honour them. Parents may not always be right, but what is always right is that we honour them. The word Paul uses for "right" is very important....it is the word "just" or "righteous." This is a word which proclaims the justice of God in all the earth. All wrongs will be put to rights, as the prophet Jeremiah asserts in that very revealing portion in chapter 9v24 "I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness and judgment and righteousness in the earth for in these things I delight, saith the Lord." Every shortfall of honour to parents, every overstepping the mark, will be met with the balancing justice from the Lord. It is an unalterable law of life on God's earth.
There is also a balancing provision to the parents in that fathers are to administer control in the household in a mature and gentle way, not to provoke children to anger. Colossians 3v21 adds "lest they be discouraged." There must be a firm but positive upbringing, such that children respect the Lord, but also benefit, as the word "nurture" would suggest. Some have put it like this "Cultivating what is godly, and curbing what is ungodly", which I think is a fair summary. There is no call for a father to exasperate a child, but rather to foster in them that which is good. Our heavenly Father is kind, but also holy, and the balance must be struck.
b) Servants and Masters in the workplace. The daily necessity of work means that we spend a large part of our lives in this occupation and we are to walk in that sphere for God; there is a word for both. The universe is described in the bible as the "Cosmos", which is the opposite of "Chaos", in the Greek and refers to an ordered arrangement of things. There is structure at every level in this world and in the new birth these natural strata's are to be observed. Paul states as much in 1 Corinthians 7v20 "Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called." This is in the context of marriage but the principle applies across the spectrum of life. There are servants and there are masters and so it must be in this world. Attention is drawn to the demeanour of servants in the workplace.
Firstly they are enjoined to assess their work as "unto the Lord". The Lord is their master not men; note the repetition of this in the verses:
- verse 5..."as unto Christ"; verse 6...."as the servants of Christ"; verse 6 "doing the will of God"; verse 7 "as to the Lord." They serve the Lord, not men. Certain qualities are to be evident as follows:
- Obedience In all situations the will of the master is paramount.
- Respect "Fear and trembling", yielding to the superior power, fearful to offend the source of living. Grandmother's advice "don't bite the hand that feeds you!".
- Devotion "singleness of heart as unto Christ..." loyalty in service.
- Diligence "Not with eyeservice as menpleasers..... not working only when the boss is looking, not clockwatching, but with the heart, just as we should be serving the Lord.
- Courtesy "...with good will..." desirous of, and working toward, the benefit of the employer.
This we should know, the Lord expects everyone who works to be rewarded properly, and in the case where servants go beyond the call of duty, and are, for this, unrewarded, the Lord Himself will be the rewarder, and this principle will apply whether bond or free. Serving as unto the Lord,
no one will lose out for the good (the extra) they have done.
There is also a word to those who are masters; in a time when some have been overbearing, Christian masters are to be different......not overbearing, "forbearing threatening", knowing that they have a Master in heaven, who will deal with them in the same way should they abuse their power of position. If however they reward good work done beyond contractual obligations, they will receive a reward from above. God exercises righteousness always and there is no respect of persons, God has no favourites, within the universal structure of things we are all treated the same.
