“Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.” (Colossians 4:1)

Several years ago, I was promoted to a team lead at my job. It was a new experience for me, as I had mainly worked alone before our division started to grow. One of the individuals who joined my team was opinionated and, frankly, difficult to manage. He struggled with instructions, consistently missed deadlines, and often focused on minor details while neglecting the project's core components. I found myself becoming deeply frustrated.

Being young and inexperienced in leadership, I admit I did not handle the situation well. I tended to avoid the hard, necessary conversations, which only created more stress in our working relationship. I would set deadlines and assign duties, but we were never on the same page. The result was a cycle of anger, frustration, and resentment on my part. This inevitably affected how I treated him, and he eventually resigned. Everyone is accountable to someone, and looking back, I can see how my failure to lead with fairness was a reflection of my own need to grow.

Treat Others with Justice and Fairness

Even when you are the boss, you still have a Master in heaven. This profound truth should be the ultimate incentive to treat others with justice and fairness, especially when we are in a position of authority over them. Paul’s instruction to the masters in Colossae is a direct command to provide what is "right and fair." This wasn't just a suggestion for better management; it was a non-negotiable spiritual obligation.

This heart for justice is not new. Even in the Old Testament, God established rules for how servants were to be treated. They were not to be handled as property but with the dignity of a hired worker (Leviticus 25:43, 53). In a beautiful display of His redemptive nature, God set up a system where indentured servants, who had sold themselves into service due to poverty, were to be set free during the Year of Jubilee (Leviticus 25:39-43). He has always cared about the vulnerable and demanded justice from those in power.

While the specific master-slave dynamic of the Roman Empire is no longer part of our society, the principle remains deeply relevant. Our conduct with those who work for, with, or around us should be guided by a powerful reality: we also have a Master in heaven who treats us with a grace we do not deserve. That truth alone should be enough to inspire us to treat others better than they may seem to deserve.

Leading Well, Especially When It's Hard

Reflecting on my early failure as a leader, I can see it was a humbling but necessary lesson. Difficult people or challenging situations do not nullify our responsibility to be good, honest, and caring leaders. It is often in these moments of friction that the true quality of our character is revealed. It’s easy to be fair to people we like and respect; it’s a much greater test to be fair to those who frustrate us.

The call for a leader is a mirror image of the call for a servant. Just as we are to serve wholeheartedly as if serving the Lord Himself (Colossians 3:23-24), we are also to lead wholeheartedly, as leaders serving under the authority of the Lord. The guiding principle for our interactions, whether we are leading or following, is that it is the Lord Christ we are ultimately serving.

This perspective shifts everything.

• It forces us to see people through God’s eyes.

• It calls us to lead with patience, not just productivity, in mind.

• It holds us accountable to a higher standard than the company’s bottom line.

When we see our employees, our children, or anyone under our care as people God loves, it becomes impossible to treat them as mere tools for our own success. We begin to lead with their good in mind, which is the heart of being right and fair.

An Invitation to Lead with Integrity

Your role as a leader, whether it’s in a corner office, a classroom, or your own home, is a sacred trust. It is a primary place where your faith is put into practice. How can you embrace this calling to be right and fair in your own life?

Begin by acknowledging that you, too, have a Master. Take a moment each day to submit your authority to His, asking for the wisdom and grace to lead well. Consider the people you have influence over. Are you providing them with what is right and fair? This goes beyond just a fair wage; it includes fair expectations, clear communication, and respectful treatment.

Think about the most difficult person you lead or interact with. How can you see them as God sees them? What would it look like to treat them with undeserved grace, guided by the knowledge that your Master in heaven has done the same for you?

Let this be your guide. When you lead with justice and fairness, you are not only creating a better environment for others, but you are also faithfully serving the Lord Christ.

Personal Reflection Questions

1. How can God's grace to you inspire fairness toward someone you lead, even when it's hard?

2. When in charge, were you focused more on the task or on treating people fairly? How might God’s perspective shift your approach?

3. What is one practical way you can show what is right and fair to someone under your care this week?