What Is Jesus Worth?
The Workers are worthy

I have been in church and heard a lot of sermons. I’ve listened to preachers on the radio and TV for decades, and I can say that I have heard many sermons about how the employee needs to work harder.
“Work as unto the Lord! Work as though Jesus is watching you!”
Is the basic flavor of all these sermons.
“Don’t complain about your job. Be thankful you have one. Some people have nothing.”
Or
“The Bible teaches you that you should obey authority. That includes your boss…”
That’s the gist of thousands of sermons.
But I have never heard a sermon telling employers how to treat workers.
Are there no Christian employers?
We know there are because they let us know.
They have a fish symbol on their business cards. They let employees have Sunday off…etc.
But let’s flip the script.
What if Jesus was your employee? How much is Jesus Worth?
Minimum wage? One sick day with a doctor’s excuse?
Would you complain that no one wants to work if Jesus showed up every day?
Consider where Jesus said “What you’ve done unto the least of these my brethren you’ve done unto me”.
Could it refer to your employees? Are they not poor? Are they not “The least of these”?”
What about that big house and new car? All bought by the cheap labor of Jesus at your store, or construction site.
How much money should we horde off the whip scarred back of Jesus?
Jesus+profits= new bass boat.
How much is Jesus Worth?
Minimum wage? Unpaid sick days? Can Jesus take his sick kid to the doctor? Can Jesus spend time with his wife and new born baby? Can Jesus not get sexually harassed today? Can Jesus get a mental health day? Can Jesus get insurance or maybe a vision plan? Can Jesus get stuck in traffic and show up late today? Should Jesus get ripped off on overtime? Should Jesus get fired for no real reason?
Just asking.
And I’m referring to Jesus the Lord. Not Jesus from Mexico City who cuts your massive lawn.
What is Jesus worth?
But, let’s go further because this is actually a very important subject.
Why do you think that sermons on how employers should treat employees are rare?
I think it’s because most churches employ people. The pastors are not going to preach about how they should treat their own employees.
Likewise, churches are full of business owners who pay tithes and don’t want to hear sermons that hit them in the wallet.
So basically its the love of money. It’s choosing to serve Mammon over God.
Too harsh?
Consider the book of Philemon.
Philemon was a rich Christian who owned slaves. One of his slaves named Onesimus escaped, and ran into Paul. Who led him to know Christ.
Paul writes the church where Philemon attends and tells Philemon about it.
Paul talks Onesimus into returning home. And he tells Philemon “If thou count me therefore a partner, receive him as myself. If he hath wronged thee, or oweth thee ought, put that on mine account;”
He took all of the burden upon Himself. He stood in intercession for Onesimus, against an employer or slave master.
Now consider Christ. Consider that Paul did this in obedience to Christ, and as a picture of what Jesus does for us. Do bosses consider that Jesus died for the employee too and they should be forgiven and treated with love? Treated like they would treat Jesus or a friend?
So, let’s look at what the future holds for all this greed. James tells us,
“Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.
Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.”— James 5:1-6
I consider that James is speaking of two events.
One is in relation to the last days, when money will become worthless in response to the Black Horse of Revelation, which I think will be a global economic collapse. (Revelation Chapter 6)
The other is much more terrifying, because it relates to the return of Christ. When he says “What you’ve done to the least of these you’ve done to me.” and sends the goats off into hell. (Matt. 25: 31-46)
If you are a Christian employer or boss and you do not bless your employees and treat them properly, you might want to check your salvation papers.
There will be huge amounts of “Christians” who find out they were never really saved on Judgement day.
No oil in their lamp. Talents buried in the sand. Goats heading into darkness.
Works do not save us. But when we know Christ we begin to do things differently.
“But, I’ll go broke!” You might say.
Pray about it.
Jesus says,
“Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.”—Luke 6:38
You cannot out give God. You can give more to your employees, and there will be a return.
Jesus said,
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”— Matt. 6:33
When we put God first, He will take care of us.
Trust God. Love and bless your employees. Treat them better and watch what happens. You are free to do better than what the norm is. You can do better than what the law requires.
God sees what you do, and He hears their cries for justice.
Cover photo by author.