Should we submit to unworthy boss?

Q: Submission to Employer???

Anonymous said…
Say, if you work for someone who imposes restrictions that you do not agree with, and you very much dislike the job, and another job comes along with the same company that you want very badly. It is right down your alley. Before you can apply you have to confront your boss for an okay to pursue the job. He says ‘no’ you can’t look into the job because he needs you where you are. What do you do?Of course, he does not improve your work place or offer more wages even knowing that the job you want pays several dollars more an hour than what he pays you. What do you do?

The Howitzer said…
I do not envy your situation at all. Several years ago, I was in a conversation with my boss who was actually a very godly leader and was wanting me to head in a different direction on a project I was heading up. As we were working through the assignment it was apparent that I was struggling with submitting to his authority. It caused me to do some soul searching and some Bible searching to see what my role was in submitting to an employer. Let me share some of my findings.

In Romans 13:1-5 the Bible says, ‘Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorites. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore he who resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behaviour, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For it(authority) is a minister of God to you for good but if you do what is evil be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God an avenger who brings wrath upon the one who practices evil. Wherefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake’.

There is a lot in those 5 verses. My takeaway was that God puts all authorities in place. The good ones and the bad ones. As a believer I am to submit to God’s authority in my life. If I don’t then I am struggling with God’s authority in my life. There is a whole different discussion of civil disobedience if authority is asking you to do thing contrary to God’s word. But, if that is not the issue then you may have to deal with the big question of Biblical authority, “do I trust God to work His will in my life and job through my God ordained employment authority.”

Three application ideas
1)Submitting to authority does not mean not communicating to authority. Talk through your situation with your boss. Ask for their advise. “you know I really am interested in this new position, it really fits my interest but you need me here as well, what would you do if you were me. How can we get to win-win.”

2) The interesting thing about employment authority is that you have a certain amount of freedom to change who you report to by changing jobs. But don’t move jobs if the real issue is your lack of submission to authority. Because that issue follows you to the next job.

3)Pray. In Proverbs 21:1 the Bible says, ‘the king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord. He turns it wherever He wishes.’ God changes hearts and decision of authority to do whatever He want them to do. You see we are all under authority and God is ultimately the only one we follow but He does use a chain of command. I will be pray for the resolution of your situation. Let us know how it turned out.