A labourer Ashok Saket, from Dalit community asked for his pending wages. The master belonging to the dominating caste became furious and called his brothers. Three of them ganged and chopped off his hand in Dolmau village, Rewa district, Madhya Pradesh. (21 November 2021) These people with entitled mentality and superiority complex have dictatorial, exploitative attitudes and violent behaviour towards others.
1) Daily wages: “You shall give him his wages on the same day, before the sun sets (for he is poor and counts on it), lest he cry against you to the Lord, and you be guilty of sin.” (Deuteronomy 24:15) Moses Law commands to give wages daily or at an appropriate time. As the poor depend on this for his/her sustenance, dilly-dallying is prohibited.
2) Denied Wages: Woe to those who make others serve for nothing. (Jeremiah 22:13) There are many who exploit others by extracting free service. In the families, widows, stepchildren, or orphans are exploited. Certain castes exploit other castes whom they consider inferior to offer free services.
3) Delayed wages: There are others and some institutions that oppress workers by delaying the payment of wages. The Lord will judge those who oppress hired workers in wages (Malachi 3:5)
4) Declined wages: Over time or excess work is extracted without wages even in corporate houses.
5) Deceived wages: “Behold the wages of the labourers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.” (James 5:4) The wage earners could be illiterate or do not have knowledge of laws or contracts, they are deceived.
6) Delusive wages: Laban changed wages ten times according to his swinging moods that frustrated Jacob. (Genesis 31:7)
7) Discounted wages: Some masters reduce wages stating their distress or some other funny reasons.
Paul warns that masters should remember God is the ultimate master and judge who is seated on the throne in heaven (Colossians 4:1)
Do I delightfully pay those who serve me?