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“We encourage you, brothers and sisters, to instruct those who are not living right, cheer up those who are discouraged, help the weak, and be patient with everyone.”
How do we live out our faith in the work place?
Faith is often a very private matter, especially in our work lives. Many of us struggle with how to work in an environment where we know God but are surrounded by non-believers. We know having true faith helps us make sense out of the troubling and confusing world within which we live. It gives us the confidence to move forward with life despite trials and setbacks.
Yet, sometimes it feels like we live in a society virtually devoid of faith. Many people don’t read the Bible, they don’t know much about God, or question if He even exists.
And now we find ourselves in a difficult season of remote working and interacting via web conferences. Sharing our faith in this environment can feel awkward, even impossible. So how do we speak truth without alienating everyone around us? How do we live out our faith and have Christ-like influence?
1 – Have Integrity in Everything
Do your job with complete integrity, even though sometimes it’s easier to go with the flow of how others conduct themselves. As Christians, one of our fundamental principles is that each Believer represents their faith. That doesn’t mean we have to preach, just do our jobs with integrity. It does means being honest, even if that costs us something (Hebrews 13:18).
2 – Treat Everyone With Respect
The highest value of Christian faith is love. That doesn’t mean we go around hugging everyone we see – it means we treat others with respect (1 Peter 2:17), and value their opinions. We treat them like we want to be treated.
3 – Serve Others
Sometimes, serving others can be hard – especially in an office environment. But remember Jesus came to serve (Mark 10:45). Great leaders are first great servants. They are humble, unpretentious and inclusive. Used wisely, these traits give them the power of authenticity and the ability to positively influence others.
4 – Gratitude
If we claim to be a Christian but are always complaining, what does that say to our co-workers? Sure, everyone has tough days, and it’s okay to admit it when we’re struggling, but we should always keep our overall attitude positive and grateful (Philippians 2:14) by reminding ourselves that our jobs are gifts from God.
5 – Watch Your Tongue
One of the most divisive things we can do is talk and gossip, especially in a work environment. Words have lasting impact, not only to those we talk about but also to our own situations. Our words can tear down or they can inspire and teach. They can promote victory or defeat, insecurity or confidence, weakness or strength, trust or doubt (Ephesians 4:29). Words have power – use them wisely!
6 – Pray
God gives wisdom to those who seek. And He will help us live our faith, if we pray and ask Him (Matthew 7:7)! Instead of complaining to our spouse or a friend, we should pray to God first. Pray about a difficult person or manager in the office that God would bless them and soften their heart. Pray for that promotion if it is God’s will. Pray for forgiveness towards a coworker. Pray for discernment in a difficult situation. Bless everyone before meetings and watch God work!
One of the most surprising gifts of these 6 steps is that your coworkers will respect and admire you AS YOU LEAD BY FAITH AND LIVE it out with your full heart and spirit.
