John
10 Part 3
Hireling or Servant Leader?
A Look At Work Ethics
Introduction:
There are many great books written about Servant Leadership and I
highly recommend the ones written from a Judeo-Christian perspective. In this
blog I describe my personal, Biblically based, perspective with insights from my
long career in manufacturing, first as a machinist and then many years as an
engineer. Jesus shows the contrast between hirelings and Servant Leaders
clearly in John Chapter 10.
The Bible teaches us the difference between the right and wrong
approach to working. Note the contrast between verse 11 and verses 12 & 13.
John 10:11 “I am
the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.
12
But a hireling, he who is not the
shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the
sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them.
13 The hireling flees because he is a hireling
and does not care about the sheep.
Jesus has some very negative things to say about the hireling (one
who is hired to do something and compensated for it but has a selfish, “what’s
in it for me?” attitude.). The hirelings He rebukes are only in it for the
money. At the extreme, their attitude about what they do has nothing to do with
doing their best, no concern for quality of their work, no concern for
coworkers and only contempt for their employer.
Let me share some
personal history that demonstrates how I saw the difference with great clarity.
Probably inspired
by my hard working perfectionist grandparents and parents, I approached tasks
from a young age striving to do my absolute best. Some things I was good at and
some things not so good, but I always did my best. Usually I still do things
multiple times until satisfied that it’s as good as I can get it.
I started my
career in manufacturing in 1975 as a machinist in a union shop. The United Auto
Workers union leader of the shop tried to indoctrinate me in the union way. He
taught me quickly to always have a rag in my hand so it always looked like I
just finished something. Coworkers would tell me to slow down or I would work
us all out of a job. In those days UAW stood for, “U Ain’t Working” even though were doing
something, receiving union wages and benefits. Many of those guys fit how Jesus
described a hireling. Motivated by Holy Spirit, I fought that attitude daily
and stood strong against striking every time the contract came up for renewal. 
Years later I was
a machine tool company engineer, the factory guru with the technical expertise
to help sales people to sell CNC machines to many different companies. I also trained
the machinists and programmers. Again I saw hirelings all over the country,
many in union shops. I also saw great work ethics in most non-union shops.
My first business
trip to a shop in Mexico was a real eye-opener. Those guys worked their butts
off, were very smart and satisfied to earn in a week what the union guys in the
States made in an hour. Their ingenuity and craftsmanship was fantastic to see
but scary too after spending time a week or so before in a mid-western union
shop. The contrast made me question how American shops could compete for the
work being done in Mexico.
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| https://www.just-auto.com/news/ford-ships-first- ventilators-designed-with-3m_id195350.aspx |
I’m glad to have
heard that that union attitude is changing. There was an article in the news recently
about the Ford people going back to work making ventilators and other PPEs
(personal protective equipment) for less than they could have made on
unemployment during this Virus-Crisis. Hats off to those selfless UAW people.I’m glad to have heard that that union
attitude is changing. There was an article in the news recently about the Ford
people going back to work making ventilators and other PPEs (personal
protective equipment) for less than they could have made on unemployment during
this Virus-Crisis. Hats off to those selfless UAW people.
***
I have not been able to get past John 10:11-13 for some time. When
I see these verses, I look back and see some failures that cause me to ask
myself if I had some hireling attitudes. I’ll be the 2nd to say I’m
not perfect in this (my wife will be the first to make such a statement). There
were some times that those I reported to perceived my poor attitude, but probably
I was asked to do things beyond my skill level. Failures might have become
successes with some good training but I was working for managers, not servant
leaders. (Put a note in the box at the
bottom of the blog, or send me a message and I can point you to more on that.)
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| https://www.pubhist.com/w19837 Pieter Bruegel, Hireling ShepherdPhiladelphia Museum of Art, |
Jesus exposes the negative effect of the hireling on those he was
supposed protect. There are lots of packs of wolves in the world that the
hireling runs from, leaving the people they are responsible for defenseless
against the enemy. As Christians, our responsibility is to be our “brother’s
keeper,” even if just the janitor or delivery guy. IF you walk in the Spirit at
the workplace, the Lord will give you the right things to say that can diffuse
bad situations, protect those you care for and encourage those in authority to
do the right thing. That’s a big IF; be sure you are led by the Lord or the
consequences may not be very pretty.
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| https://presenttruth.info/galatians-516-18/ |
Romans 8:1 There
is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not
walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.
Galatians 5:16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you
shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.
Galatians
5:24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the
flesh with its passions and desires.
25 If we
live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
26 Let us
not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
King David was also a great example of a servant leader. Though a
sheep tender, David obviously understood Cain’s attitude was evil.
Genesis 4:9 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is Abel
your brother?” He said, “I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?”
Take a look at young David’s attitude about Goliath. David had
great ethics long before he had any military or governmental authority. When
the confrontation with Goliath arose, David put his life on the line and showed
his servant leader attitude which is a great example for us. David was not a
hireling hiding in the tents afraid of that giant bear of a man. Though not a
soldier yet, David was determined to do what needed to be done, but not without
going through the chain of command. He knew that by God’s grace he could do the
job and King Saul gave him the opportunity to prove it.
1 Samuel 17:34 But
David said to Saul, “Your servant used to keep his father’s sheep, and when a
lion or a bear came and took a lamb out of the flock,
35 I went
out after it and struck it, and delivered the lamb from its mouth; and when it
arose against me, I caught it by its beard, and struck and killed it.
36 Your servant has killed both lion and bear;
and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has
defied the armies of the living God.”
37 Moreover David said, “The Lord, who delivered
me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, He will deliver me
from the hand of this Philistine.”
I had an all too rare experience with a great servant leader a few years ago. I was a Sr. Level Engineer with a great Christian boss. He called me on the carpet for something I messed up. By the time our discussion ended I knew what I did wrong but, more importantly, felt encouraged in the Lord and built up in my spirit.
So, take stock of your work ethic. Is it in line with loving your
neighbor as yourself? Are you more concerned for the success and welfare of
your co-workers than yourself? Do you act towards your superiors as a man
pleaser or is your integrity so far above reproach you’ll be listened to if you
disagree with them? Do your co-workers see you as a godly person, walking in
the Spirit with the joy of the Lord and overcoming obstacles with God’s help? EXEMPLIFY SERVANT LEADERSHIP NO MATTER what
kind of a superior you report to, no matter what your responsibilities are. Unselfishly
seek the good of your coworkers and the company you work for.
Prayer: Heavenly Father,
we desperately need Your help. We desperately need You to keep us in communication
with You, receiving Your wisdom, guidance and checks on our attitudes. Let Your
people shine bright in the workplace and wherever we are in public or at home
with family.
The Message Bible puts the verse about asking God to create in us
a clean heart in a fascinating context, a great ending to this blog.
Psalm 51:7-15 Soak
me in your laundry and I’ll come out clean,
scrub me and I’ll have a snow-white life.
Tune me in to foot-tapping songs,
set these once-broken bones to dancing.
Don’t look too close for blemishes,
give me a clean bill of health.
God, make a fresh start in me,
shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my
life.
Don’t throw me out with the trash,
or fail to breathe holiness in me.
Bring me back from gray exile,
put a fresh wind in my sails!
Give me a job teaching rebels your ways
so the lost can find their way home.
Commute my death sentence, God, my salvation
God,
and I’ll sing anthems to your life-giving
ways.
Unbutton my lips, dear God;
I’ll let loose with your praise. [MSG]
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