Troublesome Topic: What about Women Holding Authority Over Men in a Work Setting?

As followers of Jesus we should not expect the secular culture around us to follow biblical principles, neither should we communicate to those around us who do not claim to follow Jesus that they need to follow the teachings that we hold dear. Once they commit themselves to following Jesus, that will be different, but until they do so we should neither expect nor demand that they follow the teachings of the Bible. This holds true for many things, including the roles of men and women in society.

The work setting is very different from the home setting.

If a man ends up in a work setting with a female supervisor, he should respect her and follow her lead no different than if the position were held by a man. If a man goes to work and is assigned to work alongside a female coworker, he should work as a team member with her in a way that is respectful, cooperative and beneficial to everyone involved. These situations are a reflection on culture, not on the man or the woman involved. Usually, we need to work within the realities that characterize our cultural setting, sometimes we should work toward slow, healthy change, and we should always pray for the wisdom to know the difference.

If you are a Christian female and you are granted authority over men in your place of work, it is possible for you to handle it with the right attitudes, but it will not be easy. In my opinion, you do not need to give up your job or refuse the promotion, but I do think you should be as respectful as you possibly can of all the men you work around, regardless of levels of authority. Among other things, that means, don’t treat them like children. I also suggest you talk to your husband regularly about your role as a leader at work and feel him out about it. Most of all, let him see you making every effort to grant him the leadership role in the home, even though you are a leader at work.

The next lesson is: What about Women Holding Authority Over Men in an “Organized Church”?