More Than Conquerors: Who's Afraid of the Big, Bully Boss? Not You!

So, for a variety of reasons, I’ve been thinking a lot about fear, and particularly about the role fear plays in the workplace.

For you see, your typical workplace is simply chock full of fearful folks at all levels and within all types of positions.

Fear of:

• Being found out;
• Losing face;
• Losing power/position;
• Being ostracized;
• Losing the ability to provide for oneself and/or one’s family;
• Losing approval

And probably some stuff I haven’t thought of.

And it’s too bad.

Because evil people use fear to keep good people “in their place.”  To keep good people from:

• Talking;
• Thinking;
• Questioning;
• Challenging, and

 … even, reaching out to other good people, if only to provide comfort or validation.

Well, the whole thing makes me angry, I won’t lie.

And so, while I don’t normally (on this blog anyway) mix my faith in Jesus and my views about work, today I will.

Today, I’d like to remind every Christian toiling in a crappy workplace that 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

One commentary on this scripture says that “It is a grave reminder to Christians of every age and degree that all cowardice, all dread of danger, all shrinking from doing one’s duty for fear of man’s displeasure, proceeds not from the Spirit of God.”

So be encouraged. If you’re a Christian, and you’re (for example) suffering under a self-loving boss who uses intimidation, confusion, and fear to advance her dirty work, there’s no reason for you to fear (even if you’ve been caught in the cross hairs).

Your boss is the one who should be quaking in her boots, if only she had a clue about whom she’s pitted herself against. (That would be God, not you—just wanted to make that clear.)

And let’s face it. If you, as a Christian, are as fearful as the unbelievers in your midst, then what good is your faith? I’m just asking. 

Listen, I know it’s hard. Fear is a very powerful emotion. That’s why it works so well as an intimidation tactic.

But what did Mathew say?

He said, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28)

So again, please be encouraged. God truly is a God of justice. And like Paul said (Romans 8: 31): “What then shall we say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”

Not your nasty boss, that’s for sure.