How to be a Christian at Work - From His Heart - Week of September 9, 2016

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to be a Christian on Sunday ... and how hard it is to be one on Monday?  Why is that?  It is because Sunday is refueling time with the family of God, but Monday is where the rubber meets the road.  Monday is real life in the spiritual trenches.   
 
So, how can you be a shining light for the Lord in your school, community, or place of business?  How can you be a Christian at work who really makes a difference for Christ and His kingdom? 
 
1.  Do a good job.  This is so simple yet so often overlooked.  If we don't do a good job on the job, we hurt our witness immeasurably.  God wants His children to be on time, energetic, prepared, competent, hard-working, honest, and full of integrity.  He wants us to have a pleasing, winsome attitude and do our work cheerfully as unto Him.  A good attitude and a good work ethic bring glory to God. 
 
2.  Have committed standards of conduct and behavior.  Work can often be the arena where moral compromise becomes commonplace in order to get ahead.  Many people fudge, lie, and cut corners on a regular basis so that they can make a sale, get a good grade, obtain a promotion, bring in a little extra on their expense account, etc.  Since that is the way of the world, should a Christian just go along to get along?  I mean, when in Rome, do as the Romans, right?  Wrong!    

The prophet Daniel is a perfect example of how a Christian is to act when faced with moral compromise.  When he was only about 15 years of age, Daniel was forcibly taken from his homeland in Judah to the pagan land of Babylon.  He was put in Babylonian Graduate School and commanded to learn the literature and language of the Chaldeans.  He did all that was asked of him and glorified God by excelling in his studies.  But when he was told to eat food that had been offered to idols, he politely, but emphatically, said no.  Daniel 1:8 reads, "Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king's choice food."  He would not compromise, even if it cost him his position ... or his life.  And God blessed him for that courageous stand.   
 
When it comes to your job, be committed to godly standards.  Be courageous and say no to those things that you know are dishonoring to the Lord.  Say no to participating in the filthy jokes, the gossip and gripe sessions, the character assassination meetings, the get-togethers at the strip joint, and the like.  Dare to be a Daniel, and refuse to defile yourself and your witness. 
 
3.  Realize that your workplace is your mission field.  God wants to use you on the job.  He is calling you to be a light in the darkness.  No doubt, there are people in your plant, your office, your job site, or your school who may never set foot in a church.  You just might be the only Jesus they ever see.  And make no mistake, if they know you claim to be a Christian, they will be watching you to see if you are real.  They will be watching to see how you act and react.  They will be watching to see if you party and cuss and malign co-workers and cut corners on the job, just as they do.  They will be watching ... and secretly hoping that you are truly different; that there is something to this Christianity thing that really changes a person's life for the good. 
 
Remember, we are not called to cram the message down people's throats.  We are called to shine for Christ and look for open doors to tell people about the Savior.  Jesus said, "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven" (Matt. 5:16).  May we do just that on the job!

Love,