How Would Jesus Fire an Employee?

Thinking about “what Jesus would do” is a way for Christians to examine what it means to imitate Christ in our own lives.  It’s sometimes a silly question, or at least anachronous, but it’s part of a serious spiritual discipline of striving to follow the principles and character that are shown in Christ’s life and person.

Jesus often told parables involving a landowner or a wealth person and his employees.  He was offering a spiritual and not a managerial lesson, of course, but his spiritual lessons may lead to principles by which managers can manage.

One of the best pieces to appear on the Evangelical Portal at Patheos recently was an article by Peter Collins on “The Ethics of Firing.”  In this economy, as we know, many are losing their jobs.  The second part of that article is now available.  It is difficult to lose a job; it is also difficult for a manager who loves his or her employees to take a job away, especially when the employer has done nothing wrong.  So this second piece examines biblical principles that might be used to guide the manager in the decisions of whether, whom and how to fire.