LIVING A GODLY LIFE @ WORKPLACE (Matthew 5:16)

Matthew 5:16 “let your life so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.

BREAKING THE ICE:

We are witnessing a fast changing workplace where you can neither differentiate nor identify a Christian. Your CEO, Director, Manager, colleague, Subordinate or other staff members may not be firing Christians as you have claimed, but have you ever asked them, who do they think you are? Ask them as you return to workplace what is their view of your actions, utterances, characters, attitudes, behaviors, and everything about you if they will score you to be a real Christian that will never compromise in any areas-your dressing or modesty aren’t enough to prove your uncompromising Christian status. You may even distribute tracks, magazines, share church bulletins and others but the real practices and total crop of your lifestyle that  that exemplify as a real Christian will be enumerated if truly you are one or not.

Your CEO knows you very well. He can tell without mincing words where you belong, same for every other person at work about you.

A significant and often overlooked way that we serve God is in our everyday tasks. “The maid who sweeps her kitchen”, writes Martin Luther, “is doing the will of God just as much as the monk who prays-not because she may sing a Christian Hymn as she sweeps but because God loves clean floors. The Christian shoemaker does his Christian duty not by putting little crosses on the shoes, but by making good shoes, because God is interested in good craftsmanship”.

The necessity of living a holy life wherever we are, and in whatever we do, cannot be overemphasized. The badges we wear (in our hands, religious/denominational lapel on our chests, or, stickers on our vehicles or doors or gates) do not show we are born again but the way we live. Though ungodliness, dishonesty, unethical business decisions, scandalous business conduct, unhealthy competition and rivalry characterize many places of work and professions today. We should, through our conduct, prove to the world that we are real Christians. Gone are those days when names of denominations are sufficient proves to employ a Christian. Our knowledge of and love for the Lord should differentiate us in the way we work and do our businesses.

Many so-called Christians separate their secular work and their spiritual life. They live double standard life. For some, their Management, CEOS, Bosses, colleagues, subordinates ,think they are real Christians but they are soak in secret and high level practices deceiving themselves and their management, staff, colleagues, etc. on Sunday, they are religious but on weekdays, they relapse into the bad ways of sinners in the world. But God wants His children to be fulltime believers at home, workplaces and everywhere. He wants us to be saints in the church as well as in the place of Work. It doesn’t matter what your occupation is or profession or place, nature of work. An engineer, an accountant, a pilot, a human resource professional, a lawyer, a tailor, a carpenter, a mechanic, a teacher or a driver; a Chairman or Director, Manager or Supervisor, middle manager or low level clerk, security or office assistant, housekeeper or gatekeeper, God desires faithfulness and complete godliness at work as well as home, in the country or overseas. As we go about our daily activities, we must let our light shine before men (your Chairman or CEO, Director or Line Manager, Supervisor or colleague Team or Subordinates must be able to confirm and affirm to your Christina life without iota of doubt). Your client as a contractor artisan/vendor, supplier or trader or civil servant, etc God must be able to testify to your faithfulness and complete Christ-like characters in your dealings.

Men who are working, schooling, buying or selling with us should be able to see our good works and glorify our father who is in heaven.

If we are truly born again, it will reflect in our character and conduct. Real Christians won’t sit at the reception, launch, or in their offices or cars to commence gossiping about their management, Boss or even subordinates.

They won’t form munity and alliance to sabotage and cause confusion, instigate others and connive with contractors, suppliers or others to make money on their management and companies. They won’t be beckoning or extorting suppliers, vendors and artisans or favouring one vendor to curry faviour and demanding  xmas hampers.

At a time most people including professing believers, engage in various works of darkness in their jobs or businesses, we must not join them. Some will join hidden societies to get promoted or get a contract /job, some will doctor their age and material status, plan around tax records and other inputs of bid/tendering proposals, other lie about their bank statements just to secure visas, some claim contracts they have never executed just to influence the contracts award. We must not join them, rather, we should aim at demonstrating the life of holiness, and godliness and righteousness daily by the way we work.

CACOPHONIES OF WORKPLACE COMPROMISES

Social vices go on in all places and at all levels, among the lowly and the highly placed. In every place of work, people carry our sinful and wicked practices such as greed, covetousness, dishonesty, injustice, deceit, fraud and oppression. Some are lazy, idle, habitual latecomers to the place of work and oftentimes, try to cover up their malpractices with lying, they are paid for the work they do not do. And where they come to work at all, they do not do their work on time. All these will bring judgment on those who practice them.

Common and trending is the faking of kidnapping or selling Boss or Boss families to kidnappers by greedy staff who want to make money quickly. They are evidences of an unregenerate mind. As Christians, we must ensure that our lifestyle is different from that of unbelievers.

GODLINESS IN ALL THINGS AT WORKPLACE

Just as every tree is known by its fruit, pilgrims on the highway to heaven are known by their lifestyle of honesty, industry, diligence, obedience, promptness, faithfulness, commitment  and contentment in the place of work. They have the mind of Christ and love the Lord. To please the Lord in our places of work, we must learn to be content with what we have. If your friend is promoted, don’t envy him and start refusing to talk with him, work harder, wait for your time and trust the Lord. Don’t look for short cut and dangerous means of making money. Don’t extort artisans/vendors and contractors; don’t add to the problem of job seekers by promising them jobs you do not have. Don’t advertise fake and false jobs, don’t  make illegit money from the innocents. We must not be unjust to anyone or oppress people who are not as fortunate as we are. In conduct and conversation, we must accord to the sweeper on the street, the guard at the gate, the gardener at the lawn and the messenger in the office the same respect the dignity we would like to see others accord us.

DILIGENCE AT WORKPLACE

Many people today mistake laziness for Christianity. They look forward to having their needs met by prayer and miraculous supplies. While real Christianity does not downplay divine provisions, it abhors laziness in all its ramifications. There is nothing to glory about in laziness or idleness. The church may help you, but that is not an excuse to remain idle. We should not shift out responsibility on other people or depend on them to feed our children. Stop sending text messages begging every weekend for money, recharge cards-stand up to your duty and work. Those who deliberately refuse to do menial jobs should not be our precedents.

The scriptures command us to do our own business and work with own hands (1 Thess 4:11). Whatever your hands find to do should be done wholehearted and with all our might, whatever work we do, true Christian character and conduct should be manifested.

Therefore, cheating, lying, stealing, and taking or giving bribe or extorting must be shunned. While Christian conduct demands that we should not be lazy or habitual latecomers to work, it also requires that queries should be answered truthfully and honestly; and accounts should not be falsified to make it balance.

Our conduct should be characterized by uprightness in everything we do. Honesty demands that we abhor false claims on all transactions or expenses made on behalf of our employers-private or civil; be obedient and submissive to our superiors; abide by the rules and regulations or ethics governing our professions; keep to deadlines in submission of works and appointments to clients, customers; without compromising our Christian faith, love, respect and honour our bosses in the place of work whether they are born again or not; Christian or whatever their beliefs may be. We should endeavour to do our work joyfully and fervently with all our heart. God hates Christians who complains about everything, everybody and the work. Whose daily presence at work doesn’t reflect joy, happiness as if they are being forced to do the work.  Our good conduct and Christian lifestyle in the place of work should make people glorify God in our life.

Don’t help anyone defend or cover a life, keep or preserve stolen monies or documents or materials or items or goods; avoid associating with friends or colleagues or co-workers who are desperate for money and who can do anything to make money including defrauding and cheating, cornering, etc.

If your integrity and loyalty to your employer is not total, you cannot claim to have absolute loyalty to God.

Make amends where you have gone wrongs and repent today while the door of mercy is still open.

God bless.