A Biblical perspective on Employer-Employee Relations

 Read Genesis 30. 

The competitiveness between the two wives continued as they used their children to gain Jacob's attention and love. 

Meanwhile, Jacob has faithfully served the deceitful Laban all these years.  Verse 27 provides a wonderful statement every faithful employee wants to hear from his employer: "...the LORD has blessed me because of you."  

Jacob's response in verse 30 showed his desire to provide for his own family, not just Laban.  So, the two made a business decision enabling Jacob to launch out on his own.  Laban surely thought he would get the better of the deal.  But Jacob had been running the business for 14 years and knew what he was doing.  As a result, the LORD prospered him greatly with large flocks of all kinds. 

Jacob's behavior thus far toward Laban exemplifies the admonition of Paul in Ephesians 6:5-9.  Though the opening word is "slave", it is rightfully referring to any employed worker and the attitude of a Christ-follower toward the employer.  "Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eyeservice, as people-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free." 

Then in the next verse, to employers, Paul wrote: "Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven and that there is no partiality with him."  Unfortunately, Laban was a greedy, selfish man and will end up losing the best employee he ever had.

 

Praising God when you cannot see the Outcome

 Read Genesis 29. 

Even a Hollywood movie could not do this story any justice.  They would probably want to twist it into a comedy of sorts.  There is such love between Jacob and Rachel that Jacob offered seven years of his labor just for her.  Then, there is such deceit by Laban that one feels Jacob would have been justified in some retaliation.  But no, Jacob responded with an even greater commitment for Rachel. 

How did this make Leah feel?  She was married but she was not her husband's choice.  She was an object of her father's swindle.  And, where was God in all this? 

God saw exactly what had happened.  In fact, God blessed Leah in ways that had eternal value.  Of the twelve tribes of Israel, four were sons from Leah.

Reuben, the oldest.  This was a very important position in that patriarchal culture.

Simeon, the second born.  Some have suggested from Genesis 34 that he had a violent nature.

Levi, whose descendants would become the priests of Israel, including Moses and Aaron.

Judah, the family line of King David and the Messiah! 

Leah could not have dreamt the impact her sons would have on history and eternity.  It appears that she hoped these sons would earn the respect and love of her husband and would somehow vindicate her predicament.  She named her fourth son Judah.  In Hebrew the name sounds like the word for praise.  Leah even declared, "This time I will praise the LORD" (v.35). 

Everyone experiences mistreatment in life at the hands of others.  The pain and hurt of rejection and not being loved for who you are cause some to believe that God does not see, does not care, or does not exist.  Yet, always God is at work, fulfilling His plan for each life, even using the wrath of men to praise Him (Psalm 76:10).  Though Leah could not see the future, she praised the LORD by faith.

 

Benchmarks of an encounter with God

 Read Genesis 28. 

As the heir, Jacob received the blessing of his father Isaac.  Isaac repeated the promise God made to Abraham.  That unconditional covenant included innumerable descendants, the land, and that "in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (12:3).  It was now time for Jacob to begin a family of his own.  He was ordered to go to his uncle to seek a wife. 

Away from home and family, in a strange place, after dark, he slept.  Here God revealed Himself personally to Jacob in a dream.  It is the first account where faith in God became personal to Jacob.  The LORD Himself passed on the Abrahamic Covenant directly to Jacob and his descendants. 

When Jacob awoke, it was more than rising out of physical sleep.  He woke up spiritually!  "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it."  This recognition is one of the benchmarks of a true relationship with God.  God is omnipresent.  Jacob was away from home, but not away from God.  When one fails to acknowledge and respect God's presence sin will soon follow. 

Jacob had at least three responses to this encounter with the LORD.

1. He worshipped.  He even marked the spot and created a memory where God changed his life.  "How awesome is this place!  This is none other than the house of God" (Bethel). (v.17)

2. He declared his faith in a vow.

3. He committed to give a tenth of all his increase.  Remember, this statement had nothing to do with keeping the law.  The law was not be given for a few hundred years after this. 

I often think back of the dark bedroom at 820 Hartview Avenue where I recognized His presence and I knelt to give myself to Jesus.  I remember openly declaring my faith in a baptism service at Calvary Baptist Church.  And I am grateful to Mr. Snider who challenged me to begin tithing when I was only 14 years old to honor the LORD my little income.  Those benchmarks are still with me and guide my daily life today.

 

3 principles in overcoming Dysfunction

 Read Genesis 27. 

Every relationship has its ups and downs.  Occasionally, there comes one incident that reveals the dysfunction of all parties involved. 

Isaac.  He was elderly and blind.  When the time came to officially pass on the patriarchal blessing, he ignored the message the LORD gave to Rebekah, "...the older shall serve the younger."  It also appears that no one bothered to tell Isaac that the birthright had been sold. 

Esau. He was the older son and normally would have received this blessing.  However, he acted foolishly in selling his birthright.  Then, he acted deceitfully in not telling his father the truth and acting as if he deserved it. 

Rebekah.  She knew what God had said concerning the two sons.  She probably knew about the sale of the birthright.  However, she and Isaac never had the hard conversation concerning the issues with their children.  This led her to concoct a plan of further deceit. 

Jacob.  His name means "supplanter" and this is a key illustration used to prove he was worthy of that name.  Esau asked, "Is he not rightly named Jacob?"  The character flaw of lying when fearful seems to have passed down from Abraham to Isaac and now Jacob. 

One may argue that God's will was done, in spite of the means to accomplish it.  Or, as one nationally known Christian leader said to me about the mistreatment of some people in his organization, "The decision would not have changed.  They are just upset with the way it was done."  What both of those statements are saying is: The end justifies the means.  So, is God only interested in the results or is He also concerned with how the results were attained? 

Character does not show in the results.  Character is always displayed in the means.  Lying, deceit and withholding information will only compound the problems.

 1. Concerning ourselves.

Always tell the truth, no matter how much it hurts.  We must be clear and come clean about our own behavior. 

2. Concerning others.

Do not be afraid to talk about the real issues with the others involved.  Ephesians 4:15: "...speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into Him who is the head, into Christ."   

3. Concerning the outcome.

Trust God to protect and to bless obedience.  

 

4 insights concerning the Next Generation

 Read Genesis 26. 

God's covenant to Abraham is repeated here and passed on to next generation.  Isaac heard firsthand the same three components of the promise: land, offspring, and God's personal blessing.  Though chosen and blessed by God, like his father Abraham, Isaac manifested the exact same character weaknesses of fear and lying. 

After the embarrassing scene of being found out, God blessed Isaac with such abundance of herds and the need for water that Abimelech had to ask him to leave the area.  Like his father, when Isaac moved to a new place he built an altar and worshipped God.  The Lord even received the credit for Isaac's success from the Philistine king.  Abimelech stated, "We see plainly that the LORD has been with you." (v.28) 

Observing this second generation provides four insights.

1.    God blesses us despite our behavior, not because we are perfect.  He loves us because we are His children.  We belong to Him. 

2.    All godly people are human and possess character flaws.  This reminder should keep us humble and dependent on the Holy Spirit to think, speak and behave in a way that pleases Him. 

3.    Our behavior does not change the promises of God.  His word is eternally reliable. 

4.    Being a godly person is no guarantee that our children will be, nor that they will always make godly decisions.  The sin nature is passed on to them, too.  A parent who loves God tries their best to train their children to live according to God's Word and set a consistent, genuine example for them, praying daily for their heart's response to Him.  As they go out on their own, the joy comes when their personal faith is evident and others are able to declare, "We see plainly that the LORD has been with you."  

 

Leaving a Legacy

 Read Genesis 25. 

After the death of Sarah, Abraham remarried and fathered six more sons.  Then, "in a good old age" of 175 he died.  Now, the story of Genesis shifts to the next generation with Isaac as the patriarch. 

When Rebekah was pregnant, she became aware that something unusual was taking place inside her body.  She asked, "Why is this happening to me?" (v.22)  God answered that prayer by telling her that she not only was giving birth to twins but these boys would be very different and become two nations.  Further, to continue His covenant with Abraham, God chose the one who would carry on the legacy.  

Esau was the older and in that culture had full birthright privileges of the inheritance.  But in the last line of the chapter his heart is revealed.  "Thus Esau despised his birthright."  Yes, this did fulfill what God had promised, but he was responsible for his own foolish actions.  Some of the saddest words in the Bible are recorded in Hebrews 12:17 concerning Esau: "For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears."    

Esau sold his future in exchange for a temporal desire of immediate gratification.  His descendants were the Edomites, who continued hostility toward Jacob's family for hundreds of years.  Even in the Exodus, the Edomites rejected the Israelites from passing through their land.  The book of Obadiah is a prophecy of God's commitment to wiping out the Edomites as a nation.  It makes one wonder what God's plan for Esau could have been if he had submitted himself to the Lord instead. 

Every day, the decisions we make and how we handle relationships affect our legacy and those who will come behind us.

8 Considerations needed before the Marriage

 Read Genesis 24. 

While God is sovereign and omniscient, He still desires that we submit to His leadership by praying and asking.  Note in verse 15 that Rebekah was already on the way, but this unnamed servant did not know that, nor see it, until this exact moment. 

The servant waited in silence--observing, discerning.  Finally, he was able to declare in verse 27, "...the LORD has led me in the way..."  This wonderful story demonstrates prayer at work in lives of real people, along with God's guidance, faithfulness, love, and comfort. 

God instituted marriage.  From Genesis 2, it was His design that one man and one woman become partners for life.  The cultural differences and variations in many of our own relationships may be different than this chapter describes, but consider these insights when seeking a life partner.

1. Parental Counsel. (vv.3,49)

Grown children are no longer under the command to obey their parents, but one is never too old to honor them.  One effective way to honor parents is to seek their counsel when making life-changing decisions.

2. Spiritual Unity. (v.3)

2 Corinthians 6:14-"Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers.  For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness?  Or what fellowship has light with darkness?"

Standing before God and witnesses to vow "until death" is the most sacred human contract of all.  Both parties should be fully committed to following Jesus and desiring to grow in their faith.

 3. Prayerful Consideration. (v.12)

It is normal to be anxious about the questions: "Will I ever get married?" or "How will I know if this is the right one?"

Psalm 34:10-"The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

Proverbs 18:22-"He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD."

4. Character Confirmation. (v.14)

Notice the test of Rebekah's spirit.  She possessed a servant’s heart.  Will she do more than expected, without being asked, even for a stranger with 10 large, tired, thirsty camels?  This was the type of woman described in Proverbs 31.

The qualities in a husband are found in Ephesians 5:25-32.  He is to demonstrate self-sacrifice to meet her needs.  A marriage ceremony in itself will not change true character.

5. Physical Attractiveness. (v.16a)

Rebekah was an attractive young woman.  Personal desirability is certainly important.

6. Sexual Purity. (v.16b)

2 Corinthians 7:1-"Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God."

God can cleanse the impurities of our past and make us holy.  If one has been promiscuous, there needs to be some time of proven faithfulness to the LORD and practice of purity before the marriage.  If immorality is not dealt with before the marriage, it will not change on its own after the marriage ceremony.

7. Family Acceptance. (v.23)

Marriage is a union of two families, not just two individuals.  All personal relationships are affected by the marriage.  Without the families involved extending their blessings, there will always be tension in the relationship and, in some cases, could possibly destroy the marriage.

8. Mutual Completion. (v.67)

Genesis 2:18-"Then the LORD God said, 'It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.'"

A man and a woman are opposites in nearly every way.  This is especially true physically and emotionally.  It is wonderful to have mutual interests but that is not the same as completion.  The marriage partnership is to become together what one could never be by themselves alone.