A Journey Through Ephesians…6:5-9

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ. Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart. Work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do, whether we are slaves or free. Masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Don’t threaten them; remember, you both have the same Master in heaven, and he has no favorites. Ephesians 6:5-9

When I was 16 years old, I got my very first real job.

Three to four days a week, I would back out of my high school parking spot and head to Foothills Mall. On two wheels I’d pull up in my brown Dodge Spirit, slide into navy uniform pants, a red Chick-fil-a polo shirt and refresh my 1994 perm with a little Herbal Essence. I’d take my place behind the register for hours, taking orders or some nights tuck away in the kitchen, breading chicken to drop in the peanut oil fryer.

I loved my job. I loved my fellow co-workers, waiting on customers and eating all the waffle fries possible on my 15 minute break.

But the best part, hands down, was having the privilege of working for Frankie Turner.

Frankie was (and still is) the manager of our store and was absolutely the BEST first boss one could have. Looking back, I am even more amazed. He was maybe early thirties, raising toddlers, running the most popular fast food in a small town and wrangling a rowdy bunch of teenage employees, literally around the clock. On paper, he had every right to be an edgy, sharp and strict boss – enforcing firm boundaries to keep us all in line and his store running successfully.

But that wasn’t Frankie’s style.

Nope. “Somehow” Frankie created an environment of mutual respect, joy, laughter, and down right fun. He didn’t NEED to create hard lines because we loved him so much, we didn’t want to disappoint him. We wanted to work hard for Frankie.

The “somehow” that now makes sense, is that Frankie loved Jesus. He still loves Jesus. And his mission was MUCH bigger than a chicken sandwich on a buttered bun, two pickles.

Frankie had a captive audience to put the Love of God on display to numerous lost teens trying to find their way. Even when we DID disappoint him, he NEVER shamed us or treated us unkindly. (I do, however, remember cleaning the “grease trap” for being late to work. I was never late to work again.)

But we wanted to “serve [him] sincerely… and try to please [him] all the time, not just when he was watching us.”

Frankie must have understood Ephesians 6:5-9.

I know maybe we read these words, slaves and masters, through the lens of our American history, but instead think more in terms of employee and employer.

Paul is giving very practical advice for the workplace. So, bosses, read this as one who oversees. Employee read this as practicable ideals for your workday – starting today.

Now, I want to be sensitive that not all bosses are Frankies. But that is when verse 7 is the anchor – “work with enthusiasm, as though you were working for the Lord, rather than people. Remember He will reward each one of us for the good we do…..” That is a promise. God sees and rewards.

So, although I don’t ever expect Frankie to read this…. I hope he knows that the love of Christ through his leadership made a big impact on me. He was a very stable figure during extremely unstable years.

And I would bet a Number One Combo with two Polynesian sauces that I am not the only employee who feels this way.

Frankie…. it was my pleasure to serve you.

Thank you. I will never forget.