40 Acts of Lent: Act 14 - 'Boss'

Act fourteen - Boss  by Mark Greene
Your boss or leader tells you that you're doing a good job and praises you for your hard work and effort. It's just the way that relationship works – it's their job to tell you how you're doing, so you smile, nod, and get on with your day. But who's encouraging them? Generosity goes in all directions: not just to the people next to you, but to those who are in authority too.

"[Pray] for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives 

in all godliness and holiness." 

                                                                                                     1 Timothy 2:2 (NIV)

Power and authority. Lots of people have the power to affect our daily lives: traffic wardens, police, MPs, our kids' teachers, the doorman at the club I'm desperate to get into... and, for many of us, the boss. Yours may be good or bad: a paragon of virtue, wisdom and excellence or an ogre of vice, bile and incompetence; but whatever the case, two things are true.
 
1.  God loves them.
2.  We're meant to as well.

Right there is a challenge. Most of us, being human, don't really relish having someone in our lives who can tell us to do things we would rather not do, in a way that we might not agree with, and to a deadline that seems unreasonable. So, 'generous' working involves honouring the authority God has given your boss (Romans 13:1), praying for them, and doing our work in a servant-hearted way that shows we care about their goals, their success and them as a person (Titus 2: 9-10).
And generous working also involves showing appreciation – even to your boss. It's a potent gift.
 
Of course, praise can come across as sycophantic but as long as a compliment is tied to something specific it can be hugely encouraging – not least because they may not know that they did something well or realise that anyone notices anything. 'The firm way you handled the client today really turned the meeting round.' 'Thank you for pointing me to Anna – she had all the information I needed.' 'You were right about turquoise – so much better than the cerulean I was going with.' The occasional handwritten note has a similar power – after a big event, at Christmas, or just before going on holiday. In my case, a biscuit goes a long way.

Choose how to complete this act...

GREEN OPTION:
Lots of us are quick to fire off that complaint email or letter, but how often do we send one that's full of praise? It doesn't have to be long or mushy – just something generous. Bless your boss, your kid's head teacher or even the CEO of your local supermarket or council.

YELLOW OPTION:
How could you help the people in charge around you? Often, they'll be facing time pressures. So what can you do to help? Run an errand, make tea, or walk their dog?

RED OPTION:
Make a conscious decision to honour your leaders on a long-term basis – even in difficult times. This could be an ongoing commitment rather than a one-off gift.