Colossians 3:18-4:1

Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged. Bondservants, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not by way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.
Masters, treat your bondservants justly and fairly, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven.

Colossians 3:18-4:1

Moving on in chapter 3, Paul addresses ways in which different people are to relate or interact with one another.  First, wives are to submit to their husbands.  Not much else is given except that wives are to do this "as is fitting in the Lord".  This doesn't tell us much, but at the very least it doesn't mean that wives are to submit to their husbands in an outrageous sort of way.

Husbands are to love their wives and not be harsh with them.  Though it may seem like a weird thing to instruct, it's obviously given for a reason.  Wouldn't husbands naturally love their wives?  I'm not too sure about this, but perhaps marriages weren't quite the same as they are nowadays.  Arranged marraiges were more common and some marriages were done for business relations.  The king of one country may give his daughter in marriage to the king of another country to help create a bond between nations.  Even nowadays, I can understand that it may not always be easy to love your wife.  People are sinful (both husbands and wives) and this can make it hard for one to be loving or one to be the object of love.  In any case, this is something husbands are to do, regardless of how easy or hard it is.

Children are to obey their parents.  In case people want a way out of this one or an exception, none is given.  Instead, it is qualified with "in everything".  Nothing it put outside of this statement and "everything" is included among the things parents are to obey their parents in.  This is particularly hard for me because I have trouble obeying my parents.  I'd like to think that there's an exception now that I am an adult and my own person.  However, it is still something I should do or strive towards.  Sure, if it conflicts with obeying God, then let's obey God rather than obey our parents.  However, this is something that pleases him, so we should try to do it.

Father are not to provoke or aggravate their kids.  Perhaps it was easy to treat them poorly.  Children are weaker and in some ways at the mercy of their father.  Being given such power can make it easy to abuse.  Fathers are instructed not to abuse this power.

Similar to children's instruction to obey their parents, slaves are told to obey their earthly masters.  Being in a position of bondage may lead to an attitude unfitting of a good worker (and that's understandable in some ways).  However, contrary to what one may expect, slaves are told to be obedient to their masters.  What's even more is that they are told to do this with sincerity of heart.  A slave may do what the master orders while dragging his or her feet, but this alone is not enough.  To work hard with sincerity of heart is much harder, but is the instruction given here.

An interesting thing here is at the end where Paul adds "fearing the Lord".  A slave is to obey his or her master with sincerity of heart "fearing the Lord".  It is because one fears the Lord that a slave is to obey his or her master with sincerity of heart.  It is an instruction from God that you are obey, so do it ultimately because of your obedience to God.

This next part may be mentioned with regards to a slave relating to his or her master.  However, it may also be applying to everyone.  One is to work hard at whatever he or she does.  This is to be done as if working for God, not men.  A Christian may be a slave to men, but he or she is ultimately a servant of God.  So, in all things, work hard for God and it is from God that one receives a reward in the end.  In contrast, one who does what is evil or wrong will be paid back for the evil done.  God doesn't make exceptions or play favorites, he is impartial.

Lastly, masters are told to be just and fair to their slaves.  Once again, a place of power can be tempting to misuse this power.  Being fair is important, especially because masters have a master in heaven, God.  Dealing well with what is entrusted to masters is seen by God in heaven.  As what was just mentioned, God is impartial and will pay back wrongdoing.

There are many different ways to relate to different people.  Ultimately, one is to work hard as if working for God.  Work hard, treat others fairly and don't abuse power.  God is your master, obey him.