In the postmodern world of today there is much conversation about individual rights and entitlements. A common mantra is "What's in it for me?"
This narcissistic attitude seems to be ubiquitous. No matter where I travel or whom I talk with, there is the common worldview of self-centered entitlement.
Given this perspective, how can any organization deliver a value proposition based on great service? Great service is delivered by selflessness not self-focus. So if your organization wishes to offer world-class service, how can you do this with narcissistic workers? The answer is simple: the workers must be transformed to selfless workers who think, and therefore act, biblically.
A biblical worker reflects the qualities of the above text. Specifically, there are three key traits of servanthood that management must practice and impart to their workers. These traits are the position of a servant, the perspective of a servant, and the purpose of a servant.
Position: Workers must recognize that they have no standing and therefore no rights before God. A person's righteous standing with God is based on the work of Christ alone. A worker who understands this truth realizes that he or she is unworthy. Work is a place to honor God through excellence but the worker's performance does not define his or her standing with God. This is the position of a servant—a place of humility and unworthiness apart from Christ.
Perspective: God created human beings for His own purpose; therefore humans are simply servants of God. Humans have no right to self-define reality and/or demand privileges or favors from God. The very existence of humans is because of the pleasure of God. In the workplace, workers are God's vessels to serve others. This is the perspective of a servant—total submission to the Master.
Purpose: As unworthy servants, human beings have only one responsibility—to do the will of the Master. To do anything else is rebellious and disobedient. In the workplace, workers must realize that their primary focus is to find and fulfill the will of God for both themselves and their organizations. This is the purpose of a servant, that is, to dutifully do the will of the Master.
Given this biblical view of work, there is no room for narcissism. God expects and demands total obedience to Him. Anything else is disobedience, which is resistance to the will of God.
Jesus spoke the words of the above text in response to His disciples' request to increased their faith. Therefore increased faith is understanding and living as an unworthy servant of God.
When applied to the workplace this means that managers and workers must be transformed through discipleship from narcissistic living to living as unworthy servants. Therefore each manager and worker must humbly assume the position of a servant, take on the perspective of a servant, and fulfill the purpose of a servant.
Here is your business tip: Living by faith in the workplace is about discerning and doing the will of God both individually and organizationally. The best workers and organizations are those who are focused not on their rights, but on their responsibilities to serve their Creator. Relative to our Creator, we have no rights. Workers and managers must be diligent to increase their faith by increasingly taking on the role of unworthy servants who are humble before the Master, submitted to the Master, and dutifully do the will of the Master. Only when workers and organizations function as unworthy servants will they deliver world-class value propositions. |
