– Fair Wages
BRD REFLECTIONS:
1 Corinthians 9 and Psalm 138 (NIV)
(Chris Tham, SGM Core Team Leader)
READ:
1 Corinthians 9 (NIV)
OBSERVE:
In this passage, Paul explained why he initially refused to accept financial support from the Corinthian church even though he had a right to it. This was because where the church was located, there were many toxic influences and that triggered sensitivities within the church. Thus, to accept financial support from the church would be deemed as a hindrance to the gospel of Christ (v12). With God’s providence in his life, Paul was able to choose to work for free. However, this was not the case with all other church workers and that it was only right for the church to pay them for their work (v13-14). In essence, Paul was saying that only workers have the right to offer work without reward and employers have to provide fair remuneration – they did not have the right to demand free work from their workers.
APPLY:
I learnt that running a business is never as easy. Right from the start, there were challenges that I faced because capital investments were involved. When I started, revenue and profits were my main concerns and the hiring of a certain number of staff meant that for a while, I had to dig into my personal savings. This was to ensure that my staff were as fairly salaried as I could afford and to sustain the business. That period of time was extremely stressful for me and I struggled for a couple of years. Aware that it would take time for the business to grow and bring in enough revenue, I strategically hired staff who would accept a salary close to their minimum asking amount in order to stretch my finances as much as possible. With God’s blessing, my business grown over the years and it has become easier for me to offer better salary packages to my staff.
Guilty of unfair remuneration towards my staff in the early stages of my business, the Holy Spirit impressed on me about my practices during a bible study session. I learnt that God takes a serious view in unfair employment practices. Deuteronomy 24:14-15 is a constant reminder for me to be fair and not take advantage of my staff.
DO:
As I reflect on this passage, I am constantly reminded of the need to make every effort to provide fair wages to my staff, regardless of the nature of work.
PRAY:
Father God, forgive me that at times I become worldly and conform to the standards of this world. I want to be obedient to You and live according to Your standards through the help of Your Holy Spirit. Help me remember that those who work for me are also Your children and that You love them too even if they are seemingly different. Fill me with Your love and teach me to treat them fairly and justly. Amen.
