If you've ever worked for someone who changed the rules midstream, you know the sting of Laban's leadership.

Genesis 29–31 gives us one of the Bible's clearest portraits of a manipulative boss. Laban promised Jacob one thing and delivered another. He changed Jacob's wages ten times. He exploited Jacob's loyalty for twenty years. And when Jacob finally had enough, Laban's own daughters agreed their father was despicable.

Jacob said it plainly: "Your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times" (Genesis 31:7). The Hebrew word chalaph means to swap out, to substitute, to alter what was promised. This wasn't a renegotiation. It was manipulation.

And God hated it.

If you lead people: whether in ministry, business, or your home: this story matters. Because how you treat those who work with you reveals what you believe about God.

Laban's Leadership Playbook (And Why It Fails)

Laban's approach was simple: control, manipulate, and extract value.

He promised Rachel, but gave Leah. He agreed on wages but kept changing them. He wanted Jacob around because Jacob made him money, not because he valued Jacob as a person. When Jacob's usefulness seemed to fade, Laban's demeanor turned cold.

Sound familiar?

Laban treated Jacob like a productivity unit. Not an image-bearer. Not a covenant partner. Just a tool.

And that's the heart of bad leadership: seeing people as means to your ends.

What God Says About Wages and Workers

The Law of Moses made it crystal clear. God doesn't tolerate Laban-style leadership.

Deuteronomy 24:14–15

> "Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy... At his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the LORD, and it be sin unto thee."

The word oppress in Hebrew is ashaq: to defraud, to exploit, to extort. Withholding or manipulating wages isn't just bad business. It's oppression.

Leviticus 19:13

> "The wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning."

Why the urgency? Because the worker depends on that pay. Delayed wages can endanger survival. God identifies Himself with the vulnerable worker.

This isn't just Old Testament law. The prophets echoed it. Malachi listed wage oppression right alongside sorcery and adultery (Malachi 3:5). Jeremiah pronounced woe on anyone who makes someone serve for nothing (Jeremiah 22:13).

God takes this seriously.

Jesus and the Worth of the Worker

Jesus said it plainly:

Luke 10:7

> "The labourer is worthy of his hire."

The Greek word axios means worthy, deserving, fitting. Compensation isn't charity. It's a moral obligation.

Paul carried this into the early church. Writing to masters, he said:

Colossians 4:1

> "Masters, give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven."

Just (Greek: dikaiosynē) means righteous: what is right before God. Equal (Greek: isotēs) means equity, fairness, balance.

You answer to a Master, too. And He's watching how you treat the people under your care.

The Deeper Truth: God Is the Source, Not the Employer

Here's where the story gets even more powerful.

Jacob ultimately did not prosper because Laban was fair. Jacob prospered because God was faithful.

Genesis 31:9

> "God hath taken away the cattle of your father, and given them to me."

Laban manipulated. God overruled.

This is where leadership shifts from fear to trust. From scarcity to covenant abundance.

Many leaders operate like Laban because they're afraid. They fear losing control. They fear someone else getting ahead. They live in scarcity.

But God's economy doesn't run on scarcity. It runs on covenant love.

When you lead from union with Christ, you don't exploit: you overflow. You don't hoard: you release. You don't manipulate: you honor.

Because you know your source isn't people. It's God.

From Slavery to Sonship

There's another shift happening in this story.

Jacob started working for Laban out of survival. He was on the run. He had nothing. He worked from fear.

But over twenty years, Jacob's identity changed. He moved from slave thinking to son thinking.

Slavery says: I have to earn my way.

Sonship says: I'm already loved, and blessing flows from that.

Laban never made that shift. He stayed stuck in scarcity. And it cost him his daughters, his wealth, and his relationship with Jacob.

If you lead people, the question isn't just Are you being fair?

The question is Who are you becoming?

Are you operating from fear or trust? From scarcity or abundance? From law or love?

You can follow all the rules and still miss the heart of God. Because righteous leadership isn't rule-keeping. It's sharing in God's generous nature.

What This Looks Like Today

Here's how this plays out in modern leadership:

1. No manipulative contracts

Don't change terms unfairly. Don't exploit legal loopholes. Honor your word.

2. Pay promptly and fairly

Delay can be oppression. Compensation reflects value and dignity.

3. Treat people as image-bearers

They're not productivity units. They're not tools. They reflect God.

4. Transparency and integrity

No hidden agendas. No bait-and-switch. Be honest from day one.

5. Remember divine accountability

You answer to God. He sides with the vulnerable. And He's watching.

This isn't about following rules to avoid judgment. It's about leading from the overflow of who you are in Christ.

When you know you're loved unconditionally, you stop exploiting people and start releasing them into blessing.

The Heart Shift That Changes Everything

The biggest leadership lesson from Laban and Jacob isn't Don't be like Laban.

It's this: Know who your Source is.

Laban thought Jacob was his source. So he manipulated, controlled, and exploited.

Jacob learned God was his source. So he could walk away, trust God, and prosper anyway.

If you're leading from fear, you'll become a Laban.

If you lead with trust, you'll be a blessing.

And here's the grace in all of this: even when people fail you, God doesn't. Even when employers manipulate you, God overrules.

Your provision doesn't ultimately come from people. It flows from covenant love.

That's the kind of leadership the world needs. Not perfect. Not flawless. But rooted in the goodness of a God who sides with the oppressed and blesses those who honor His image in others.

Don't be a Laban. Be someone who leads from sonship, not slavery. From trust, not fear. From the overflow of being deeply loved.

If you're wrestling with what fair, grace-centered leadership looks like in your context: whether in business, ministry, or your family: I'd love to walk with you. Check out more at waustingardner.com or explore leadership resources rooted in biblical wisdom at my Amazon author page.

And if you're looking for a deeper dive into living loved and leading well, start here: The Big Leap of Faith: Believing God Loves You Exactly as You Are.

FAQ: Biblical Leadership and Fair Treatment

What does the Bible say about changing someone's wages unfairly?

Scripture calls it oppression. Deuteronomy 24:14–15 commands employers not to exploit workers or withhold wages. Malachi 3:5 warns that God Himself will witness against those who defraud employees. Changing wages unfairly violates covenant integrity.

How should Christian leaders treat their employees today?

With justice, fairness, and dignity. Colossians 4:1 tells masters to give what is just and equal, remembering they answer to God. This means honoring agreements, paying promptly, and treating people as image-bearers: not productivity tools.

What can I do if I'm being treated unfairly at work?

Remember that God is your ultimate Source, not your employer. Trust Him to defend and provide for you, just as He did for Jacob. Seek wise counsel, document injustice if needed, and know that God sides with the oppressed. Your provision flows from covenant love, not human fairness.