“Masters, treat your slaves with justice and fairness, because you know that you also have a master in heaven” (Colossians 4:1 NET).
What motivates us to action? What influences the decisions we make in life? One underlying motivation should include the recognition that this life does not represent the sum of our existence. This reality is one that should exert a subtle but constant effect upon the choices and decisions we make in life.
You see, our view of the eternal affects the choices we make today. For instance, a Godly man or woman possesses two incentives that help shape and direct his or her choices. The first finds its origin in a love for God and a sincere desire to honor Him. That response flows from the recognition that Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf represents the supreme act of love. This, in turn should prompt us to respond in love to Him, for as we’re told in 1 John 4:19, “We love because he first loved us” (NIV).
So the positive incentive behind our choices and decisions begins with God’s love for us. That love should then inspire us to live the kind of life that honors Him. 2 Corinthians 5:14 summarizes this idea very succinctly: “…the love of Christ compels us.”
The second incentive is rooted in the knowledge that we will eventually stand before our Creator to give an account for our lives. It is that second motivation that we see here in Colossians 4:1: “…be fair and just towards those whom you employ, never forgetting that you yourselves have a heavenly employer” (Phillips).
While the positive incentive for Godly behavior originates in a loving desire to honor God, the corresponding incentive for not doing wrong (even if we can seemingly get away with it) is generated by the knowledge that we will eventually explain our actions to a just and holy Creator. This idea is also touched upon in the New Testament book of Romans where we’re told that “…each of us will give an account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12).
So our desire to please God out of love should be coupled with the knowledge that we will have to answer for our choices in life. Our daily choices and decisions are made under the watchful eye of a righteous Creator to whom we will give an account. This offers an additional incentive to conduct ourselves in a God-honoring manner. These twin motivations -love and accountability- should help enable us to make wise choices and good decisions in our individual areas of authority.