新加坡人力部於2022年宣布，所有在新加坡工作的外籍家庭女傭，每個月必須至少獲得一個休息日，而且雇主不能用金錢補償而不讓家庭女傭放假。然而，許多雇主卻擔心家庭女傭一放假，家人就缺乏照顧。雖然可以通過其他的安排來解決照顧家人的問題，但許多雇主認為家庭女傭不需要休息日，這樣的想法顯然不那麼容易改變。

善待他人並不是一個新的課題。在使徒保羅所處的那個時代，僕人被視為主人的財產。然而，保羅教導眾信徒如何建立基督化家庭時，最後提到主人要「公公平平地」對待僕人（歌羅西書4章1節），也就是說「對待奴僕要公平合理」（當代譯本修訂版）。

正如保羅勸誡僕人，工作是「給主做的，不是給人做的」（3章23節），他也提醒所有當主人的，耶穌的權柄凌駕他們之上，因為他們「也有一位主在天上」（4章1節）。保羅說這些話的目的是要鼓勵歌羅西的信徒，在生活中要全然順服基督至高的權柄。同樣地，當我們與他人互動交往時，無論是在家庭或社區中，是身為雇主或雇員，都可以祈求上帝幫助我們，以公平合理的態度去對待他人（1節）。

Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower announced in 2022 that all migrant domestic workers must be given at least one rest day a month that employers couldn’t compensate them for instead of giving them the day off. Employers, however, were concerned they wouldn’t have someone to care for their loved ones on those days. While the logistics of caregiving could be solved by making alternative arrangements, their attitude in not seeing the need for rest wasn’t as easy to solve.

Treating others considerately isn’t a new issue. The apostle Paul lived in a time where servants were seen as the property of their masters. Yet, in the last line of his instructions to the church on how Christlike households should operate, he says that masters are to treat their servants “justly” (Colossians 4:1 esv). Another translation says, “Be fair with them” (the message).

Just as Paul tells the servants to work “for the Lord, not for human masters” (3:23), he reminds the masters also of Jesus’ authority over them: “you also have a Master in heaven” (4:1). His purpose was to encourage the Colossian believers to live as those whose ultimate authority is Christ. In our interaction with others—whether as an employer, employee, in our homes or communities—we can ask God to help us do what’s “right and fair” (v. 1).