At the onset, it needs to be said that there is no hierarchy of vocations in the Kingdom. This can seem like a radical assertion but it is truth. Certainly some people are called to devote the whole of their lives to ministry; however, this in no way means that they are holier or closer to the Lord. We are all called to love, to witness, and to devote ourselves to the Lord by faith. If this was ever in question, remember that God used fishermen, political zealots, tentmakers, tax collectors, military officers, and physicians to grow His Church (this is not an exhaustive list but the point is clear).
If we think of Jesus teaching on being salt and light (Matt. 5:13-16), it is clear that we are all called to be salt and light, not just the full-time ministers. This means that people in the business world are to be salt and light to the world with as much vigor as the janitor or the teacher. The nagging question then becomes: how do we do this? To answer this, some points on methodology should be made.
For starters, we must do our jobs with excellence, understanding that the quality of our work and the integrity with which we do it is a direct reflection on the Lord. We are accountable first to Him for our work ethic. Therefore, if we cut corners or do not pursue excellence, we are not serving Him wholeheartedly and, ultimately, we make God out to be less-than-first in our lives. In other words, our devotion to Him is directly tied to the manner with which we work. Good Christians should be, then, the best employees.
Secondly, we need to be prepared to give account for the grace and joy that permeates our work. If we are living out our faith, we will be filled with the Spirit, exuding joy, peace, hope, and love. This will inevitably draw others to examine us and wonder. When this happens, we need to be ready to give our testimony. We need to speak our faith as much as we act our faith. This does not necessarily mean that we will prepare a three-point sermon with a multimedia presentation, but we will be ready to give a sincere account for the grace in which we stand and that guides our lives.
Something must also be said about office culture. If we find ourselves regularly engaging in any activity that could be construed as sinful or unbecoming of godliness, then we need to repent and stop. As Christians, the people of the world will scrutinize our every action and word so as to point out our sinfulness and hypocrisy. They do this in order to overlook their own guilt and shame before God.
Practically speaking, this means that the people of the world will consistently test us and tempt us to "join in" in the name of office camaraderie. Lying, gossiping, usurping authority, and cussing are a few examples of the multitude of ways that the world will try to pull us away from Christ and into the playing field of the enemy. Because of this, we need to be on guard against any potential threats to our relationship with Christ as well as disciplined to put out the potential fires of temptations before we find ourselves engaged in sin.
In conclusion, the workplace presents the ripest fields for longterm planting, watering, and harvesting souls for Christ. God gives us specific vocational roles and fields to live out the Word and preach the Gospel to people in a closed-circuit situation so that we can invest in people who have an opportunity to see us live out our faith with consistency over time. This is an awesome thing as well as a distinct responsibility to live above reproach in the workplace. We are living for Him, this should be the underlying force that causes everything, work included. Let us then press forward to be salt and light at work and to live out our Christlikeness in word and deed in the workplace!
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