Trickle down spirituality

A number of years ago, a president helped coin the phrase “trickle down economics”. “Trickle down economics” was the concept that those who did the employing would positively effect and empower those who were employed. If they prospered they would hire more people, put more people to work, and strengthen the economy. Those who found fault with the policy complained that those who prosper don’t necessarily invest the money in their businesses, or employ more people. People can argue whether this is sound economic policy or not, but there is definitely Biblical inspiration in the notion that God gives authority to protect and bless.

From the beginning of creation there have been those who hire and those who are hired, employers and employees, management and labor. Since we are all sinners, both sides of this occupational equation can abuse their position and power. The manager can keep the profits for himself and abuse the employer by not providing a decent wage or benefits, or treating the employee harshly. The employee can also abuse the relationship by not producing quality work in a timely manner. He can organize labor against management and disrupt work until he gets what he wants. On the flip side, both sides can also help to produce a quality environment. Despite which side of the economic coin one finds oneself, there is definitely a role that each has in fulfilling God given roles. The employer provides direction and opportunity while the employee provides a successful product in a timely manner, and reputation for the company. How ideal when each side does what it is supposed to do! And yet, how contrary to the culture of American individualism!!

While I am not writing a dissertation on economics, I have been reading the book of Ephesians, and this morning I was strongly struck with this notion of roles. Almost all of us see the clear relationship spelled out in Ephesians 5 (husband and wife, father and child, master and slave (employer and employee). What I want to communicate today is the idea that we don’t have to wait until chapter five to see this pattern. In fact, I think Paul by the Spirit of God very clearly states this pattern from the beginning of chapter one. We see in Ephesians 1 a very clear notion that God sovereignly works on behalf of His people through His Son. He elects us, chooses us, predestines us, makes us acceptable and beloved to Him, forgives us, washes us, redeems us, sanctifies us and glorifies us. We are the recipients, those who have the secondary role. God initiates, we receive, and in turn, bless others. We see this in chapter two as well. He loved us and made us alive. He raised us up with Him, and has reconciled us to Himself. Starting with chapter three we begin to see not only how we are reconciled to God but also to others, despite our cultural and religious differences and roles. In other words, it begins to discuss how we take different roles, both authority and non-authority positions. This was wonderfully displayed to me this morning during our morning worship service. This week we had two baptisms in the morning. In the holy sacrament of baptism (as in the service of worship), we have one in authority, the pastor, who charges both the one being baptized and the congregation, and who sprinkles with water in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and the ones under authority, the congregation (of whom the baptized is now one). It was a beautiful picture as the baptized knelt down before one administering the sacrament. One was conferring special position and privilege and one was submitting to his authority and the execution of his office, receiving the blessings of submission. (I have to make a quick tangent to state how happy I was to see this sacrament, administered in the morning service. It had previously taken place in the evening service when the vast majority of congregants were absent, thus losing its strength as an agent of grace to the entire congregation. This author thinks it makes much more sense to have a baptism when the entire church family is present, to have the congregation swear the oath of encouragement and admonition, comfort and rebuke, and make covenant with that particular family or individual-end of tangent, I’m back!). While chapter one and two emphasize the ultimate Authority figure, the role He plays in the life of the church and “all the spiritual blessings in heavenly places” He bestows, chapter three and four look at the broader implication for both Jews and Gentiles, those who were the people of God through the faith of Abraham but had thrown off that “light and easy yoke”, and those who were in darkness, “cut off from covenants of Israel, without hope in the world.” Who is it that God grants blessing to? The answer, of course, is God grants these particular eternal blessings to those who have been granted faith to trust and submit to Him, both Jew and Gentile.

Next week I’ll take a look at chapter five, how God uses human agents in authority to bestow His blessings, and what that means for those of us under authority.