Just Because They Are Fellow Believers?

1 Timothy 6:2
Those who have believing masters should not show them disrespect just because they are fellow believers. Instead, they should serve them even better because their masters are dear to them as fellow believers and are devoted to the welfare of their slaves.
These are the things you are to teach and insist on.

Nothing ruins a deal more than the inability to negotiate. Familiarity makes it difficult to negotiate. Selling property to a stranger seems easier than to a close relative or friend. A stranger will negotiate based on value but a familiar person will negotiate based on the fact that you know each other. After selling to a stranger it is over, but a familiar person may keep making reference to the deal which can be uncomfortable. A fellow believer is a familiar person. In our interactions with fellow believers, let us maintain the same standards and not abuse the process because they are fellow believers.

Apostle Paul writes to Timothy advising him on how to lead the church and what to tell them. A major section of many epistles is dedicated to lifestyle. While many extreme persons feel that teaching lifestyle is a waste of time. Many extreme people will prefer teaching beliefs and prophecies of the end more than a lifestyle. Yet a poor Christian lifestyle will render irrelevant any teachings and beliefs. That is why all writers of epistles were inspired to focus more on lifestyle. Lifestyle has an impact that teaching only will never have. People will forget what you said, taught, and preached but they will never forget your attitude towards them and how you treated them. Sound doctrine has an impact only where a good lifestyle accompanies it.

In our passage today Apostle Paul addresses the relationship between slaves and their masters. Paul did not approve of slavery, nor does the entire Bible approve of it. The book of Philemon gives us a clue on Paul’s attitude towards slavery. It was a norm and the Apostle was suggesting how Christians should conduct themselves under that norm. Paul noted that Christians had very high respect for their non-Christian masters than for their Christian Masters. He, therefore, sought to correct a situation where Christian familiarity brought losses to the business.

Just because your boss is a familiar fellow believer, do not come late to work. Do not lower the quality of your conduct and work because this is a fellow believer. You, a mere worker should know your position instead of behaving like a business partner to your boss just because he/she is a fellow believer. Many people who have hired fellow believers have regretted it because they do not get quality work and also because disputes at work end up being gossiped around in church. As a result of this, many well to do people, who could employ relatives, friends, and fellow believers, prefer strangers.

Paul tells Timothy to tell the church that if you are working under a fellow believer, they deserve more respect. At work do not address them with titles that blackmail them because they are fellow believers. When you are summoned to explain your poor performance and you punctuate all your responses with church titles you affect the outcome. The outcome will be twisted to your favor and to the disadvantage of the organization. The boss realizes your church familiarity is damaging the work. Just because you are a fellow believer!

Now the boss can’t be firm and angry in order to improve the work, just because you are fellow believers. You can’t be disciplined just because you are a fellow believer. You resist transfer just because you are a fellow believer. You keep influencing the boss negatively against the wishes of other bosses because you have a fellow believers’ access to gossip and plead. Consequently, other workers may join the faith not out of belief but to protect their jobs or they will hate the church and wait for revenge when your fellow believer boss is no more.

The biblical principle is that familiarity should make the work better and not damage it. If you are working under a relative, friend, or fellow believer, do not make them regret. Relate with them with the same respect and attitude if they were not fellow believers.

Workers in faith institutions should have high standards like anywhere else. Workers under relatives and friends should put aside the relationship and do their best. Familiarity should not ruin the business. That is a biblical principle that is as inspired as any Endtime prophecy or condemnation of sin or major doctrines.

When visiting offices of fellow believers or any familiar person show them respect, follow protocol, and be brief. When doing business with fellow believers or familiar people give them the best quality and meet the same expectations you would in any other business. Some believers doing business with the church give poor quality in order to make a profit, yet they do not do the same thing elsewhere, they are cursed. Do not negotiate until you destroy someone’s business. Asking for credit and delaying payment just because we are fellow believers or familiar is wrong.

The same respect and attitude accorded to non-believers should be accorded to fellow believers and familiar people. We pay by market standards professional non-believers who address us or offer goods and services, yet when visiting preachers and other believers offer the same business we do not pay at all or give laughable amounts. Just because he/she is a fellow believer?

May God forgive us for abusing fellow believers and familiar people at work and in business. May our business and workplace conduct with fellow believers and other familiar people be the most professional and productive, in Jesus’ name, Amen!