TREATING OTHERS FAIRLY

Col. 4:1-2 You slave owners must be just and fair to your slaves. Remember that you also have a Master--in heaven. Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart.

The application of these verses for us today would be for those who are in positions of authority over others. Whether it be in the church or in the public arena, believers have a responsibilty before God to treat those under them in a God honoring way. Sometimes the pressures of the job we are in works against us. There is the temptation to be demanding and unfair to others under us. There is also the temptation to feed off of the power and authority we have and let it affect how we treat others. How do we avoid mistreating others? Paul offers us a couple ideas.

First, we need to be a people of prayer. In order to treat others right, we must stay right with God. We must stay close to the Lord at all times. We must come humbly before God and be willing to listen to Him. We must learn from Him how we must conduct ourselves and then do it. When we are close to the heart of God, we are going to be kind and gracious. We are going to strive to help others bring out the best in them. We are going to care for them as people and not look at them as just numbers to use. We are going to strive to be honest and fair at all times. We are going to deal with others out of our love for God. Prayer changes how we treat one another and it is an absolute necessity if we want to be a people after God's own heart, regardless if we are in positions of authority or not.

We are to pray with alert minds. We are to be aware of the needs around us. People are needy. A godly leader is sensitive to people who are in need. If people are hurting, there is an awareness and he prays for them. He does what he can to minister to those in need. He is compassionate and not judgmental.

We are to be thankful. Life offers some of us greater opportunities than others. Some are blessed with good jobs that pay well. A godly person does not take for granted his position in life; instead he gives thanks to the Lord. No one deserves the blessings of life and we should be grateful for the life we have. No matter what our lot in life is, we are blessed. There are a multitude of people who will never know the blessings you enjoy and take for granted. Daily we ought to thank the Lord for His blessings, love and grace.