BEYOND THE DAILY GRIND

Text: Ephesians 6:5-9

Series: Thank God It’s Monday

Before we are employees or employers in the marketplace, we are servants and followers of Christ. What kind of workers should we be, knowing that Jesus is our ultimate boss?

Discussion Guide

1) Work For the Audience of One (vv5-6)

Every adult comes under some form of authority at work. And to a large extent, the state of our work life is affected by the type of bosses we have. Were there any difficult situations you faced due to the demands of your immediate superiors? Share some of your personal stories. What are some typical behaviours subordinates tend to exhibit towards difficult bosses?
Paul tells us in Colossians 3:23 to work with all our heart in whatever we do, because ultimately we are working for the Lord, the audience of One. Since Jesus is our ultimate boss, what difference should it make in our attitude towards work? How will this translate to our behaviours at work? One way to work for the audience of One is to respect the authority placed over us by God. Reflect upon our own attitude towards the bosses over us. Is there proper respect? Does it reflect our desire to obey God? Discuss how we can grow in this aspect.
While we want to worship God through our work, we want to be mindful that we do not end up worshipping our work. What are some possible signs that reflect the latter? What are some safeguards we can put in place in order to not fall into this?

2) Know That What We Do Matters to God (vv7-8)

Share some instances at work where you encountered either injustice due to your boss’s decisions, or felt small / insignificant due to your boss’s response towards you. How did you feel during these moments? To what extent did these affect your attitude towards your work? How did you resolve these feelings and thoughts eventually?
What does Bible say in response to times where our work may not be appreciated by our earthly bosses? What is the right attitude to adopt in such situations? Our work is a gift from God, and how we treat it matters to God. How well have I been stewarding this gift so far? Think of how we can grow to be better stewards, and share to one another.

3) Seek the Good of Those We Work With (v9)

Most of us work within hierarchies, interacting with people of different job scopes and responsibilities daily. If we are not careful, it might be easy to naturally equate work position with a person’s value and dignity. As a Christian, what is the basis for us to see every person as equal? If there is no such thing as an unimportant person in God’s eyes, how should we be treating the people around us at work? What are some obstacles that make it challenging for us to seek the good of those we work with? What motivates us to love difficult people at work? How can we look out for their interests even if we experience conflicts or misunderstandings with them?
Would we describe ourselves as more task-oriented or people-oriented? Share some instances at work that shows our tendency towards either. How has being task-oriented / people-oriented at work been beneficial for those around us? Reflect on recent situations at work. Were there any instances where our tendencies led to strained relationships or hurt feelings? What did we learn from those experiences? Share with the LG. Identify 1-2 areas that we can grow in, in terms of our attitude and behaviour at work, so that we can glorify God and be a bigger blessing to the people around us. What steps are we taking to grow in these areas?

Reflection Questions

1) Work For the Audience of One (vv5-6)

Since Jesus is our ultimate boss, what difference should it make in our attitude towards work? How will this translate to our behaviours at work?

2) Know That What We Do Matters to God (vv7-8)

What does Bible say in response to times where our work may not be appreciated by our earthly bosses? What is the right attitude to adopt in such situations?

3) Seek the Good of Those We Work With (v9)

As a Christian, what is the basis for us to see every person as equal? If there is no such thing as an unimportant person in God’s eyes, how should we be treating the people around us at work? What motivates us to love difficult people at work?