God created humans to do his work on earth. God provided a paradisaical workplace with everything his workers needed to fulfill their assignment. His leadership is what we see in the first two chapters of Genesis, but then Genesis 3 shows that his workers failed — and continued to fail — in ways that compromised the work.
How does God respond?
In Genesis 3, he makes a gracious promise. God promises to humble himself, join his workers in the mess, and deliver them from it: “I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”
This promise should shape the behavior of employers, managers, and co-workers. Our work communicates God’s character in response to failure. Consider four ways God responds to failure — and how a Christian employer might imitate his disposition in the face of a co-worker’s failure.
1 Devoted to the flourishing of his workers
Genesis 1 and 2 describes the beautiful workspace God designed. Then, almost immediately, his workers deliberately disobey his instructions and seek to usurp him. They bring a curse to the place; they’ve trashed the office and sabotaged the work. Incredibly, his compassion appears immediately. Before spelling out consequences, he promises redemption.
Christian employers should imitate God’s gracious disposition by seeking the flourishing of failed employees. Our first instinct should not be to scold or terminate. Instead, we should be inclined toward offering opportunity for restoration. Reprimand, wrapped in mercy.
2 Willing to suffer in order to restore his workers
In Genesis 3, the Son strikes the serpent’s head while the serpent strikes his heel. We have two mortal wounds; both the serpent and the man will die in this conflict.
“Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be exploited,” Philippians 2:6 says. “Instead,” the next verse continues, “he emptied himself by assuming the form of a servant, taking on the likeness of humanity, and when he had come as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death — even to death on a cross.”
In voluntary self-humiliation, he did his workers’ job on their behalf — without failing — and then also suffered their rightful termination.
3 Offers compassionate restoration
The promise is preceded by a statement we must not overlook: “I will put hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring.” Humanity is divided here into two camps — the serpent’s offspring and the woman’s offspring, the evil and the faithful.
Who is restored in Christ’s kingdom? Those who respond to God’s gracious offer with faith, who receive it humbly, turning away from disobedience and following Jesus. Who is cast out? Those who respond to God’s merciful overture with pride, who reject restoration, refusing to follow Jesus.
4 Willing to appear weak to restore his failed workers
When the promised Son appeared, he was a suffering servant whom no one desired or valued. The world would mock and repudiate a crucified Messiah, calling him weak and foolish (see 1 Cor 1:21–23).
Christ sets the standard for Christian leaders. Because Christ humbled himself to death to save sinners, “God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name” (Phil 2:9). He ascended to the highest place because he descended to the lowest place.
