My Boss Is Tripping!

Genesis 31:7 your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times but God did not permit him to harm me.

There has been so much instability in the workforce this past year and a half. There have been lay-offs, downsizing, and wage changes. Many business owners and CEO’s have had to make adjustments for their business to survive but there are some who have taken advantage of the shifting economy and the desperation of the people and have manipulated their employees. Many people are not being paid what they are worth but they are grateful to have a job. When you are faithful to do your job and God’s favor is on your life it is not your job to focus on the mistreatment of your boss. It’s God’s and he will see you through!

Jacob discovered this working for Laban, his father-in-law, for 20 years. Jacob told Rachael his wife, “You know that I have served your father with all my strength, yet he has cheated me and changed my wages ten times, but God did not permit him to harm me.” Ten times! Talk about an unstable market, he changed his wages ten times! Ten times Jacob had to realign his budget. Ten Times he had to move his family around to a different location. Ten Times he had to figure out how to increase his income. But each time God kept him. How many times has your wages changed? How many times has God kept you?

God sent an Angel to Jacob to let him know that God was the one that gave him increase with his flock. When Laban said Jacob could only have the spotted sheep, God birthed more spotted sheep. When Laban said he could only have the striped sheep, God birthed more striped sheep. Whenever Laban changed God provided.

What you need to know is when your Boss is tripping God is still tipping! God will be your tipping point to get you over when your Boss is trying to get over. In the meantime, here’s what you need to do:

1. Be faithful. Verse 6 “You know that I have served your father with all my strength.” Keep doing what you are supposed to do regardless of how your boss is acting.

2. Treat his business like you would your own. Verse 38 “These twenty years, I have been with you; your ewes and your female goats have not miscarried, and I have not eaten the rams of your flocks.” Jacob took care of Laban’s flock like they were his and he didn’t steal any inventory.

3. Absorb the cost. Verse 39 “That which was torn by wild beasts I did not bring to you; I bore the loss of it myself; of my hand you required it, whether stolen by day or stolen by night.” There will be some things that go wrong on the job and you will have to take the blame even though it was out of your control but God knows and he will settle it.

4. Work hard regardless of conditions. Verse 40 “It was like this with me: by day the heat consumed me, and the cold by night, and my sleep fled from my eyes.” Your hard work today will pay off for you tomorrow. Keep pushing.

5. Leave when God says leave. Verse 13 God told Jacob, “I am the god of Bethel where you anointed a pillar and made a vow to me. Now leave this land at once and return to the land of your birth.” When you have acquired enough money and you are strong enough to go, God will release you to your own land.

Dar God, thank you for keeping me in unstable conditions. In 2010, I know you will keep me again no matter how the market changes. My faith is in you! Thank you for making me prosperous even with spotted sheep, people trying to cheat me, and changing wages. In spite of it all, I’m still blessed!

In Jesus name,
Amen