Forgotten and Resuscitated

After several moves and jobs later, I would forget about the “Workplace Ministry” concept. It would be a while before I would be reminded again that my job is my ministry. Once I was reminded, however, I again purposed to be more deliberate about it by praying for my co-workers before work and checking in with them about where they are at in this station in life.

It wasn’t long before people started telling me their life stories, along with their heartaches and triumphs. People just gravitated toward me. Occasionally, some would even come to church service with me.

Don’t get me wrong, my job isn’t perfect. There are times when I get aggravated and disappointed by the cubicle political atmosphere of the workplace. That’s no different from anyone else and happens in any company. But, those aggravations and disappointments lead to the real question, how do I react to those challenges?

It really is THE important question – How do I react? That’s what people around us in the workplace do, they watch our reaction. They get to learn our character by how we respond to situations. That’s where the opportunity to shine for Christ is. We could mouth off some expletives and belittle the people responsible, or we can choose pray and wait for the appropriate time to respectfully express our concern without any attitude (No, it’s not easy).

Scripture says that we are not to let the sun go down on our anger. I take that seriously. But,… it’s hard. It’s too easy to hold a grudge from the workplace.  Instead of taking the slight home with me, however, I will wait, cooling off for a few minutes, or a half hour. Then I will discuss it, or call a person into the back room to discuss it. Often times though, by choosing to wait to cool off, I’ve already apologized to God for my attitude, and forgotten about the perceived wrong. In all reality, if it’s forgotten that quickly anyway, then it isn’t worth bringing back up at the workplace in the first place.

Above the Level of Reproach (Part 2)

 (PART 2 of 2)

Recently, I had another example of a person noticing the difference in my life. It occurred when a coworker’s task completion was called into question. A manager called and discussed a seemingly incomplete task and blown deadline with my coworker friend. She was stunned by the accusation and started emphatically pleading her innocence. Then she yelled at the phone, all the while looking at me, “I did it! I know I did it! Hernando was here! You can even ask him and he’ll tell you I did it AND YOU KNOW HERNANDO WOULDN’T LIE!”

The manager never asked to speak with me. I suspect that’s because he knows enough of my character as to find it highly unlikely that I would lie. The fact that my coworker used me as her support in revealing truth was enough validation for him. So, he believed her, apologized to her, and dropped the subject.

I won’t say that I’ve never lied. What I will say, is that it’s rare and that I’ve regretted those times that I have. I have a conscience that still gets a hold of me. Some might say that it’s the Spirit that prods me. I’d rather tell the truth and be able to sleep at night, than be wondering when a lie is going to come back and bite me. But, that’s not the point anyway! The point of the coworker using me for validation is that she noticed a couple of things about my character that reflects Christ, truth and trustworthiness.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to sound conceited or trying to get a pat on the back. That’s not the case. I could have a doctorate degree in “Shortcomings”. I just choose not to wallow in them. So, I get back up from shortcomings and try to live a life above the level of reproach, above the accepted mediocrity, regardless of what the situation is. I want my life to bless Him, not man. Then I try to do it again, and again.

I caution my readers though, living the life above reproach only happens through prayer. Otherwise, continued efforts and failures leave a person defeated. It is through prayer that I get the glimpses I need of Him. Those glimpses, however small, sustain me, change me, and motivate me.

So back to the two questions,… Why would anyone do mediocre work for God? Why would we allow ourselves to believe that we work for mere man?

The answers,… We shouldn’t do mediocre work for God. We should do our job in a way that pleases God.

Above the Level of Reproach

(PART 1 of 2)

Someone once said, “Preach the Gospel always. When necessary, use words”.

Our lives might be the only Jesus people see. But, how will they know it’s Jesus that they are seeing through us if we live like the devil?

I once read a book (Yup, it can happen!) whose premise was that the world is comfortable with mediocrity. The author continued that Christians are not to be satisfied with that. Yes, we are to be honest in the workforce, on time, reliable, etc.. Christians, however, are not to be satisfied with mediocrity or complacency.

Over the years I’ve pondered that thought. I’ve even heard a sermon or two in a similar vein. Additionally, I heard someone doing a collection time prayer that I also put in my memory bank –  about how our bosses may be signing our paychecks, but it’s God that gives them the ability to do that to bless us.

Those thoughts have led to the following questions – Why would anyone do mediocre work for God? Why would we allow ourselves to believe that we work for mere man?

As Christians, we are to be a mirror of Christ. Christ didn’t come to help us tolerate sin. On the contrary, He came to show us how to overcome sin. In much the same way, I believe we are to try to be the best reflection of Him in the workplace – as opposed to satisfied with the mediocrity the world pushes, which often leads to sin through complacency and cutting corners.

Yes, I fall short. But, I get back up off the floor and live on trying to avoid making the same mistakes.

People notice. I’ve had many times when I was living as best as I could, even with blunders, and people have noticed that things are different in my life. I’ve even had a co-worker once tell me that if he had gone through what I had gone through, he probably would have killed himself. He was serious! He couldn’t understand how that in going through it all, I kept plugging along (little did he know that I did in fact suffer – But, I knew to run to my Savior for hope). He was a baby Christian and even though I never really had much opportunity to share my testimony with him, he still saw me as an example as a life lived leaning on the Master.