Work can be hard. I remember a weekly meeting with a major client whose approach was management by intimidation. He figured that if the threats were mean enough and the consequences severe enough, he’d get the most out of his own employees and the companies he partnered with. Most of his team seemed to focus their energies on avoiding him or looking for a way out. Fear may motivate people for a while, but eventually, it turns to resentment and bitterness, and it can sap people’s energy and drive. What starts with a terrible boss can turn into a terrible performance review. Their problem can quickly spiral into your problem. And nobody wants to derail their career because they couldn’t find a way to deal with a difficult manager.

This problem is one that was faced by many in first-century Rome, and the Bible gives a unique solution to it. They estimate that one-third of the Roman Empire was made up of slaves. While slavery wasn’t based on ethnicity and often came with broad freedoms and privileges, it was still the case that slaves were considered property and often treated harshly. Today, switching jobs is an option for some. In the first century, most didn’t have that privilege. Consider the alternatives that the Bible provides.

1. Go to work for Someone else

Even if you’re fortunate enough to do a job that you love, you can’t avoid feeling as if you’re doing what you’re doing for the person who signs your cheque. Who wants to work for someone they don’t respect? How do you find the motivation to serve someone who makes you bitter? The Bible’s answer is to do your job for God, not your boss. Colossians 3:23 puts it like this, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.” God is the one who provided your work. He’s the one who gave you the ability to do it. Regardless of how poorly your boss is doing their job, as long as you’re in that position, God still has an assignment He wants from you. Consciously choosing to do your work for God instead of your boss changes how you see it.

2. Go to work with a different motivation

A toxic boss challenges our motivation. We start thinking, “This isn’t worth it!” And maybe it isn’t, but it’s worth reflecting on what you mean by “worth it.” Why are you doing what you’re doing? Are you just working for the paycheque? For the glory? To be appreciated? Maybe the problem isn’t just your boss. You may need a different motivation. After urging people to “work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,” Paul adds, “knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward” (Colossians 3:24). Do you know that God will reward you for the work that you do by faith out of devotion to Jesus? That’s not just talking about the volunteer work you do at church or in the community. The whole context is talking about your job. The work that you do matters to God and can bring pleasure to Him when you do it for the right reasons. When you work hard as an act of worship, God promises to reward you. Focusing on God and His reward instead of the money we can earn or the respect we might gain gives us a more reliable source of motivation, particularly when the people involved don’t inspire our effort.

3. Bring your grievances to a different HR department

In a perfect world, we could bring our grievances to HR and the toxic boss could be magically transformed into an amazing one. Life is seldom that simple. First-century slaves certainly didn’t have a personnel department that they could turn to, and even today, many can’t get the support they need. After reiterating again that “You are serving the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:24), Paul assures workers that the Lord takes their grievances seriously and promises to bring justice. Colossians 3:25 just says, “For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.” Did you know that God is as concerned about your boss’ behaviour as you are? He’s seeking their repentance, but if it doesn’t come, He’ll eventually see to their judgment. If you aren’t getting justice, the tendency is to take matters into our own hands. But even if it’s just through passive aggression, becoming the office vigilante is never a good move. Turn to prayer and commit your boss into God’s hands, instead. When we allow God to deal with our manager, it frees us to focus on doing our work in a way that would glorify Him.

If you have an example of a time you deliberately tried to do your work for the Lord instead of for your manager, share it in the comments below. Or if there are questions you have about your faith at work, I’d love to hear them. In the meantime, may God give you help with your assignment whatever that may be.

In awe of Him,

Paul

P.S. If this is new to you and you think it’s something you’d like to explore, I’ve written a free, 12-week course called The Unstuck Life that walks you through the essentials of Jesus’ teachings in daily, bite-sized messages that you can read or watch by video. To learn more, click on the image below.