Several years ago, I read a classic book on living out faith in the workplace called Your Work Matters to God by Doug Sherman. Doug made an important point, and I have never forgotten it: “Only one-third of the membership of a local church can be given a job doing church work. So, if you think that serving the Lord means doing some work in the church, then two-thirds of you are doomed to frustration and disappointment.” On the other hand, your workplace has untold ministry opportunities—no matter how restrictive your company may seem about issues of faith. Have you thought deeply about how your relationship with Jesus Christ can impact your workplace?
Why is living out our faith so challenging at work? I believe it is because we forget that everywhere we go is a sacred space, and everything we do can be an act of honoring God and living out the Gospel. Sometimes we get into the trap of categorizing existence into neat little boxes of sacred and secular. This artificial division blinds us to the profound truth that everything, including our work, can be sacred to God. People in our workspaces are spiritual and need a relationship with God through his Son, Jesus Christ. Intentionally reminding ourselves of these each day before we go (or log on) to work is a powerful way to transform our perspectives.
When you allow Jesus Christ to shape your behavior, attitudes, and interactions in the workplace, you will inevitably have opportunities to share the hope of the Gospel. The Apostle Peter wrote, “But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect” (1 Peter 3:15, ESV). The word “defense” may suggest that believers must respond to abusive or condescending questions from angry or combative people. “Defense” may also imply that the circumstances a believer may face with confidence may seem insurmountable to a nonbeliever. However, when Christ’s followers react with peace and trust, people will immediately see the difference that Jesus Christ brings to a person’s life.
One day on the job in a hospital—before his notoriety as a ground-breaking genetic scientist—Dr. Francis Collins witnessed the hope of Jesus Christ in one of his patients. He was attending to a woman who was about to die. She said, “You know, I’m ready to go. Don’t worry about me.” And then she said, “Dr. Collins, you’ve been so kind to listen to me and care for me and listen to me share with you about my faith. Tell me about your faith. Tell me what you believe.” Dr. Collins later wrote, “Nobody ever asked me that question before, not like that, not in such a simple, sincere way. I realized I didn’t know the answer. I felt uneasy. I could feel my face flushing. I wanted to get out of there. The ice was cracking under my feet. All of a sudden, by this simple question, everything was a muddle” (Simmons, Reflections on the Existence of God). Of course, Dr. Collins is now a Christian; his faith is of much greater eternal significance than his role in decoding the human genome.
Your greatest untapped ministry opportunity—by virtue of your schedule and influence—is probably at your job. Who knows? With intentionality and prayer, you may provoke a question that leads someone to consider the claims of Jesus Christ. One of my favorite stories in the Gospels is of the calling of the first Disciples. A young fisherman named Andrew “found his own brother Simon (Peter) and said to him, ‘We have found the Messiah’ (which means Christ). He brought him to Jesus” (John 1:41-42a, ESV). Andrew brought his brother and business partner in the fishing business, Peter, to Jesus for the first time. Are you living out your faith in the workplace?
Allow me to leave you with an assignment. Take out a notebook and pen or open a digital note on your cellphone and begin to list the people you encounter at work. Begin to pray for them by name. If you know the names of their family members, write those down as well. Begin to live out your faith with kindness and point these coworkers to Jesus.