Number One

Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting to the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents in everything as this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not embitter your children or they will become discouraged. Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, and do it not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Colossians 3:18-24 RSV

This pericope on relationships sites submitting, being harsh, obeying, embittering, discouragement, duplicity, work. Each is difficult for the first person and easy for the second. Even a wealthy loner has work to do if for no one but him or herself, and then he or she is still dependent upon others for infrastructure. Mothers are left out, but in Luke 13:32 Y'shua describes himself as a hen who protects her chicks. In the above pericope, it seems we can just pick and choose which verses apply to the "others" in our lives. The verse addressed to slaves comes across as the most applicable for just about everyone. Oh, we don't do slavery anymore; that went out with the Civil War. I submit it has merely taken a modern form: namely, anything that we are accountable to that ties us down to a schedule for the purpose of survival (food, shelter) holds the position of master. The corporations that run our world with their endless levels of accountability are uncaring and impersonal taskmasters. Ephesians 6:9 and Colossians 4:1 do not let masters off the hook. Corporate officers at the top are responsible to directors and should be to workers. The author of Colossians admonishes us to do what we do as if for our beloved -  the One who first loved us long before we were even slightly lovable.  The "Lord," in this New Testament pericope, is the risen Y'shua of Nazareth. May he, in his loving kindness, embrace you as you do your work - for him. Shalom, Mother BE

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