Things You Learn in a Cave

BIG Idea: Don’t lift your hand against the Lord’s anointed.

Everyone’s had “that boss.” At one time or another, you’ve probably worked for someone who was a mix between the TPS-reports-boss from Office Space and Kevin Spacey from Horrible Bosses. Someone who stopped having fun in life a long time ago and made it their personal goal to suck the life out of every one of their workers. Even though it’s not very Christian to think thoughts like this, you hated your boss. You despised him or her. Last week’s Wednesday blog was work hard. But what happens when you work for a boss that isn’t worth working for? What do you do then?

I had a job several years ago with a boss I absolutely disrespected in almost every way possible. He didn’t practice what he preached. He seemed to be against everything that made sense. When I got ‘out of line,’ he had a few of his cohorts rake me over the coals in a public way that still makes me shudder. He and his wife would endlessly work ‘prayer chains’ that would spread disinformation throughout my circle of influence. What made it worse was that he was a Christian, a pastor, and my boss (for a time).

In all the ways that counted, I believed I was in the right. I was caught in the middle of a nasty church fight, and he was fighting ugly. But I wasn’t without weapons. There was a strong minority of folks who were on my side, who wanted to fight back. Before I knew it, I was the leader of the “resistance.” The question was, how hard would I fight back?

In the midst of that storm, God brought a scriptural truth to me that stopped me dead in my tracks. It was the story of David, before he became King, when he was on the run for his life from the wicked King Saul.

1 After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.” 2 So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats.

3 He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. 4 The men said, “This is the day the LORD spoke of when he said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’”

Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. 5 Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. 6 He said to his men, “The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD’s anointed, or lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the LORD.” 7 With these words David rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way. 1 Samuel 24:1-7

That phrase stuck with me and wouldn’t let me go: Don’t lift your hand against the Lord’s anointed. It didn’t matter that I was right and my boss was wrong. It didn’t matter that he was fighting dirty and was dragging my name through the mud. God had placed him above me as my boss, and it wasn’t my place to fight back against him.

Thankfully, I listened. I didn’t fight back. I didn’t start a revolution. I didn’t split the church. Before long, my boss’s ways caught up with him and he was asked to leave the church. The victory was won, and I never had to lower myself to his standards.

If you’re in a similar situation, I know that everything inside of you is screaming “fight back!” As tempting as it is, don’t. Your boss is placed over you for a reason. Treat him with the respect that he deserves, and it will go well with you.

QUESTION: How have you dealt with bad bosses in the past?