Day 248 - Trouble with the Boss

 

I have never really had trouble viewing God as a boss. It has always been quite a helpful analogy to me, especially because my earthly career has been a little… disappointing so far.


I’ve sometimes viewed God as an editor – that has been helpful. To give him a little credit (before I go into the poor working conditions), I have to make it quite clear that as a Boss, I have not really felt that God is very insistent on results. By which I mean that I have rarely felt that a condition of employment is based on my performance – especially in terms of winning souls. Which is just as well, because I can assure you that I’m not very effective at winning souls. Not to my knowledge.

There are scary scriptures like: “No one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Yes, thanks for that… boss, Lord, whatever.

Because, of course, mental health problems often leave you feeling you are not entirely… fit.

Work conditions are important. Even in matters of faith. If your ‘boss’ is not treating you well, what are your options?

Well, the options are pretty clear:




1.       Keep your head down, work even harder in the hope of finally pleasing your employer
2.       Pack in the job and get one with a half-decent boss – no-one needs unnecessary trouble
3.       Assert your complaints in a meeting and demand adequate working conditions
4.       Strike
5.       Take it all out on the other employees

Maybe you can think of some other options. But I’ve opted for options 3 and 4. Option 2 is tempting. I’m trying to resist option 5. Option 1 is just madness.

Now, a good boss would be willing to listen in the event of an employee complaint and also in the event of a strike. There would be procedures in place within the… business. A particularly bad employer would simply sack the disgruntled employee and hire someone else, depending on their management style.

But in Christianity there is no union. Everyone wants to please their commanding officer – hey, that’s even a scripture. We’re like soldiers having to fight in a war we know so little about. Everyone wants to please the boss. Me too in all honesty. But not at any price.

It does suggest that the boss can be pleased. Something which is difficult to know when he is in his office, relatively isolated from the troubles and pains of those outside (especially when he has decked out his office to make it VERY comfortable).

And the only way of knocking on the door? Prayer. And even then, it is more like lifting up a telephone for a one-sided conversation and getting put on hold through a myriad of angels delegated with whatever tasks they have been assigned. Bless them.

Well, they say that there are only two spiritual workplaces anyway. That may be a bit simplistic, but it is memorable. The Kingdom of darkness and the Kingdom of light. Two businesses. Great.

And the employees can make a decision to move from one to the other at will, depending on how content or discontent they are with present conditions.

However, the question remains – how will my heavenly Boss deal with my strike? Will he simply tolerate it? Will he ignore it? Will he concede to my demands or simply send me off for further disciplinary procedures?

Inquiring minds need to know.

Because so far – he simply appears to be largely ignoring the prayer strike. Although not completely. Maybe I will go away and shut up?

Or maybe I’m going to kick up a (relatively) holy fuss about all this for as long as I physically can…