18 Servants, be submissive to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and gentle, but also to those who are unreasonable.
19 For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly.
20 For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.1 Peter 2:18-20
Not only do we submit to government for the purposes of silencing the ignorance of foolish men, but also to unreasonable bosses for whom we may work. It’s rare to toil under a great boss in a great company. Those stars don’t normally align. You’ll probably have a cruel taskmaster in a good company or a reasonable but likely feckless supervisor in a bad company, and more often than not, a heartless “master” in a soulless organization.
Despite these conditions we are to bear up and serve as unto the Lord, which will make it possible under the direst of circumstances to muster up respect for the person over you and his or her position. You’ve got to see through the demands and the abuse to focus on Christ, standing with arms folded, nodding his head in approval, for a job well done.
It’s interesting that the slackers and complainers who may come under the thumb of a harsh overseer are not cut any slack here. You never want to appeal to God, other than for mercy, for something you’ve got yourself into due to insubordination, laziness or sloppiness. In these cases, you’re going to have to suffer the consequences (Col. 3:25).
Our Boss wants our consciences clear, which will make it possible to patiently endure hardship, and to know without question, that through it all, He’s got our back.
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