TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven. Colossians 4:1
Read: Colossians 4:1
Listen: Colossians 4
TODAY’S MESSAGE
Imagine the room of Jesus-followers in Colossae. As Paul’s instructions are read to slaves, likely the household slave owners are grateful to hear them. Perhaps they selfishly desire for their slaves to start having a better attitude.
But Paul turns the tables and sets his sights on the slave owners. He tells them to treat those under them fairly and rightly because they have a master in heaven. Paul tells them to start treating those under them like people, not like property—and to see their value as God sees them, instead of for what they can produce.
The same command applies to us today. Whether we own a company, manage employees, have influence on our friends or are a parent, we have to think of those we influence as people, and not property. Only when we look at them as people will we begin to treat them fairly and rightly.
Our motivation for treating people well is because God treated us well. Paul reminds us we have a master in heaven. We know our God didn’t write us off when we chose to rebel against him. In fact, he went beyond fair and right to die on the cross for our sins. Our gratitude for what God has done for us should overflow in treating others fairly and rightly.
IN YOUR CHAIR TIME TODAY
Write “What is Right? What is Fair?” on a 3×5 card, sticky note, or your mobile device. Place it somewhere, highly visible to remind you to treat people well. Perhaps make more than one to place in a few different locations.
Download a printable PDF of the BTW week here.
