Every believer knows the challenge of being a follower of Christ in the workplace, and it seems that the challenge has grown over the past decade. Most of us want to do a good job, be good employees, and get along with everyone in the workforce, but being a follower of Christ does present challenges.
We’re not talking about sharing one’s faith in the workforce; we’re simply talking about being a Christian and living out one’s faith at work. Some of you might be reading this right now and might say, “Well, I’m a Christian, and I do not have any trouble being a Christian at work,” and that could very well be true.
Many believers live with humility and display attributes of what it means to be a Christian throughout their entire day, including the times while at work. Employers often see these Christian character traits as a benefit to their organizations. Christians tend to put others first, which means they make good servant leaders, and servant leadership has grown exponentially within businesses all around the world. Christians also take time to listen to others, and when wrong, they often are the first to ask for forgiveness or to accept an apology. These attributes alone make Christians in the workforce stand out and are valuable, but Christian workers also tend to have a more positive attitude and are grateful employees who are willing to learn and adapt.
Each of these areas sounds so positive, so why would it be a challenge to be a believer in the workplace? It’s because believers can present their Christian values, but they often must hide their other practices while at work. Believers can easily be ostracized if they take a moment to read the Bible or pray during a break or lunch. Believers are looked down on for tending to lean more conservative in their social views. Christian workers are often condemned for sharing their beliefs when others are freely able to share their personal beliefs. So believers often do not speak their viewpoint and silently retreat.
Being a believer in the workplace today, does not have to be the same as it has over the past several decades. We are meants to stand out, to shine, and to glorify God in every aspect of our lives. We live in a culture, which is pushing back against the wokeness of the past decade, and its time to stand for what you believe in non-confrontational ways. It’s time to allow yourself to pray during stressful moments, or to read scripture while on breaks. Give yourself permission to speak up in loving ways against woke-culture. Do not lose your voice. Be who you were created to be.
