Who Are You Working For?

Author: Dr. Ron Allchin
February 09, 2016

“With good will render service, as to the Lord and not to men.” 

—Ephesians 6:6

 

Recently I counseled a young man who came in with discouragement, disillusioned over his job and disappointed that he did not receive the raise in salary he hoped for so he could afford that new car of his dreams.

He explained that the expected advancement at his job would have moved him into the next level in his company with a significant salary increase.  However, as we talked, he recounted the crushing words of his boss.  “Brian, you just aren’t showing the energy for your job or the initiative that you have shown in the past.” 

Brian stated that he was working as hard as the others.  Yes, he took a little more time at breaks and lunch than what the company allowed. “But after all,” he said, “everyone does that.” 

After that admission, I asked Brian a question that confused him at first, but that ultimately had a dramatic impact on Brian and his work ethic.  You might say that Brian had a major paradigm shift that become the new standard for his improved work ethic and performance ever since.

I asked Brian a simple, yet profound question: “Brian, who do you work for?”   Brian though a minute and said to me, “I work for Joe Johnson, he is my immediate supervisor.  He is the one who gave me that review.” He continued with anger in his voice, “It was his poor review that caused me to lose my promotion!”

I paused and didn’t address his attempt to shift the blame to his supervisor.  Rather, I stayed focused on the same question and asked it once again. “Brian, who do you work for?”   He paused for a minute, a bit confused, and then said, “Oh, I get it, I work for J.P. Schmitz and Sons, and have for the last four years.”

When I asked him the same question again and he sat there with a quizzical look on his face, he replied,  “I have no idea what you are getting at.”

I shared with him Ephesians 6:6 and told him that his real boss was GOD!  You are really working for HIM. He is the One you work to please, not your bosses. When you work for HIM, your motivation is to be a “God pleaser” and not a “man pleaser.” 

It was like a light bulb came on in Brian’s mind.  He had never looked at it that way before.  But it totally impacted his work life and other parts of his life from then on. 

He went back to work the following day with energy and with a purpose to please his God, his new boss. He figured that if he pleased God he would also please his boss.  His boss immediately saw the difference in his energy and initiative and asked him, “Brian, what has caused the change?”  

Brian’s response to his boss was, “I don’t work for you anymore.” 

Now his boss was troubled for fear of loosing a great employee. But Brian went on to tell him he was not quitting, but that he was now working for God.  His boss, not sharing or understanding Brian’s faith, responded to Brian … “Well, I don’t care who you work for, just keep up the good work!”  It was shortly after that exchange that Brian did receive the advancement and the raise for which he was hoping.

BACK