Would you treat an employee this way? Jesus says it's OK!

This morning's Gospel reading was from Luke, Chapter 17:7-10:

"Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, 'Come along now and sit down to eat'? Would he not rather say, 'Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink'? Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.'"

(New International Version 1984)

Now I don't know about you, but if I had a servant (these days we call them "employees"!) who had spent the whole day out back plowing the North Forty, and he came into the house all hot, tired and sweaty, you're damn right I would say, "Come along now and sit down to eat!" Poor guy.


Actually, I'd probably say, "Wow, you really look tired! Why don't you take a break, shower, etc.? Take about half an hour and then come and start putting dinner on the table. Thanks, pal!"


What kind of human being would I be if I ignored another human being's suffering just because he worked for me? And Christians are always saying how compassionate Jesus was. This sure didn't sound all that compassionate to me.

Maybe that servant just didn't belong to the right union.