April 15, 2026

Business by the Book

John 15:15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

Every new employee begins their career as a mere servant. An employee, a worker, a new hand; they begin as one who is hired for pay to do a certain job. They are like a cog in a wheel, one part among many, an unproven asset, an untested talent of potential skill. Unless a previous relationship existed between a new employee and the management of an organization the new hire is just a hired hand.

But somewhere, somehow, at some point in time within a working relationship mere servants become friends. The time that this takes depends on many variables. However, the natural growth spiral of any working relationship is one of mutual respect, admiration, confidence, and familiarity. Business may try to eliminate the friendship aspects of the work environment, but it’s impossible. Good employees make good friends. As individuals work together their relationship naturally grows. Rules are often times put in place to reduce this transition from servants to friends but it happens nonetheless. In every business, every workplace, every corporation, every organization there are individuals that are drawn to each other and their relationship grows to friendship.

This is a concept that is simple, logical, natural, and universal, yet, it is not largely understood or discussed. Attempting to sidestep the boundaries of this concept can oftentimes lead to employee discouragement and or dissatisfaction. For example, consider a scenario in which a newly hired individual comes into a well-established office. There is no way that they can expect to be treated with the same exact manner as someone who has been in the company for 15 years, but they do. They expect the same leeway, the same perks, the same exact standing as the long term employee. Yet, they are untested and unproven; as of now their future is filled only with promising potential and there is no past to gauge their skills or reliability.

But somewhere, somehow, at some point in time this new hire will become a trusted friend and co-laborer. Jesus knew this; He understood it is the way people grow. At first His disciples were servants, then, they became His friends. I have been fortunate to work for two organizations in the last forty years. In both I started out as a mere servant, yet in both I have been fortunate enough to become friends of those with whom I labor. The same is probably true in your workplace. If you manage people you know that there is a growth spiral of the relationship you have with your employees. This spiral works both ways, sometimes it grows, and sometimes it dwindles. When it grows friendships are forged, when it dwindles usually a separation occurs.

Those who follow Jesus may begin as servants, but they soon become His friends. He was friendly to His former servants promoting them to friends. In fact, the growth spiral of His relationship with these men went from servants, to friends, to confidants. And that is a topic for a devotion for another day.

Dr. William Howe