For my degree in Organizational Leadership from Biola University, I’ve had to take a class called “Human Resource Management.” I believed, going into the course, that it would be the most boring thing ever. In some ways I was right. I really have no passion for all the state and federal laws concerning human resources. And I’m glad this class is almost over.

At the same time, the guy who’s been teaching this course (which ends this Thursday) is one of the most passionate, godly people I’ve ever met. He truly believes that the area of human resources is an opportunity for loving people, looking out for their interests, and treating people according to the simple truth that they were created by God and, in a way we can’t quite understand, bear a little something of his image. That alone makes each person worthwhile, and worth treating well.

Here are a few principles I’m taking away from this class – good HR principles, which also happen to be Biblical:

If an employee decides to sue his employer because of some labor law violation, it’s probably not really because of the labor law violation. That’s just an excuse. It’s probably because at some point, the employer was a jerk.

In job descriptions, and in interview questions, make every word count. Say what you need to say – and don’t say things that don’t matter. That’s a good rule for life as well.

While we need to treat people differently according to their abilities (or lack thereof), our basic opinion of all people must be the same – they are loved by God, and his desire is to redeem them and bring out all his creative intent in them. Whether or not that actually happens is another matter – but that’s his desire, and it needs to be mine as well.

And finally…

Leadership without passion is not worth following.