Seabiscuit

Jesus said, “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.” (Matthew 7:12-14 ESV).

Perhaps you have read the book, or seen the movie, about the famous American racehorse, Seabiscuit. This story is certainly inspiring and also a fascinating glimpse at American social history during the 1930’s. The horses were treated better than the jockeys! These jockeys were paid very little and given poor housing. Of particular note is that they didn’t have any kind of medical care, even though this is one of the most dangerous professions in the world. And I thought to myself, “What a great example of what Scripture is talking about, when it refers to unjust and unfair behavior towards those who God has entrusted to our authority.” The words of Jesus could not be clearer. We are to be fair. But it doesn’t just mean adequate pay and benefits. The employer must treat employees fairly and that fairness extends much further than just pay and benefits. It also means not showing partiality. The principle becomes clear when we see various applications in our lives. If you’ve ever seen a situation where a parent shows favoritism to one child over another, you know how incredibly demoralizing it can be to the entire home. There’s no sense of harmony and health. It works the same way in the workplace. Think of the demoralizing effect partiality has on the employees. It’s the perfect place for the Jesus’ golden rule to be applied, do unto others as you would have them do unto you. I have often used a personal proverb passed to me by my Dad in various situations: You can always catch more flies with honey than vinegar. If supervisors treated employees this way and employees, likewise with supervisors, morale soars, productivity increases, and profits rise. As a matter of fact, because the good owner of Seabiscuit actually treated his jockey this way, the success of Seabiscuit is an inspiring story to this day. Today, take some time and notice how often this truth can be used in your personal interaction with others. Recommit yourself to doing to others what you would want done to you.