Christian Principles in the Workplace

More than our office tables, outputs, and salary grade, what concerns Jesus is the Christian principles we live by in the workplace. How is your heart towards work? Can you identify yourself working in a very stressful work environment? How about working with a very demanding, very insensitive, or very inhumane boss? Or if you are lucky enough to be blessed with a pretty good relationship with your boss, how about working with very uncooperative, very ‘pabibo’ and very unfair workmates? I guess we can all share a story or two.

Colossians 3:23 says that “whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” If we’re gonna expand our passage to include verses 22-25, we can infer a few notable and practical instructions from the Word of God on do we deal with these ‘office stressors’. Let’s begin to WORK.

W – we are witnesses of the Lord through our work

Realize that before we are called to be office workers, our initial call is to live by Christian principles in the workplace. We are Christians first before we are employees. Thus our identity in Christ is of utmost importance before our work or ministry. In our office, we deal with people who are not Christ-followers, which is why we must become witnesses to them. Given the chance, we must bring the gospel to them. Make an impact! But how are we gonna be effective witnesses if our attitude and actions contradict what we say we believe in? We may ask them to read the Bible so they may see their wrongs but we can never underestimate the fact that we represent the Bible we read to them. Our life may be the only Bible version they will ever read. Be a witness of the Lord. Wag mang-away. 

O – obedience to our boss is obedience to the Lord 

Sometimes our boss ends up being impractical or demanding. Sometimes they get too moody and insensitive. Whatever their reasons are, still they serve as authority above us. And unless they demand us to do something unbiblical or immoral, we ought to obey them in the best way we can. As Christians, we must remember that the Lord raises people in leadership positions. Whether or not you think your boss deserves his position or not, it doesn’t matter anymore. What’s more important is your attitude. Will you obey him? If you find it hard to obey your boss, remember that the Lord is the one who commands you to obey Him. God’s instructions precede your boss’. Obey your boss. Wag nang magmaktol, sumunod.

R – rewards are in store for faithful servants

Jesus said that whoever can be trusted with small things can also be trusted with many things. Do you want to receive more? Then be faithful with the small things that you have. And that small thing can be your work today. If you are found faithful, not cheating with the petty cash of the office, not reams of bond papers, or not gossiping during office hours, even in the absence of the guards in duty or your supervisor, then you are a candidate for a heavenly reward. Faithful servants please the Lord, and those to whom God is pleased, He rewards. The question is, makakatanggap ka ba ng reward? Be faithful.

K – kill them with kindness

Time will come when people will piss us off and get on our nerves. They get too unruly, unfair, and annoying that we can no longer take them any longer. Do you know what’s the best thing to do? Retaliate – gumanti! But not as the world does. At times I hear some Christians say, ‘God bless you na lang!’ as a way to vent out their frustration. I find it ironic, substituting the word of blessing when the heart intends the opposite. Instead of fooling yourself with your insincere kindness, PAUSE for a moment. Then PRAY to God for them. If the situation cools off, then PROVIDE an act of kindness towards that person. This is what it means to kill a person with kindness. You remain kind and gracious in case of them being argumentative and harsh. This is being Christian. But make sure your motives are genuine before that person and before the Lord. Gumanti nang may pag-ibig.

After looking at your office table, now look into your heart. If Jesus would inspect your heart towards your workmates and your boss, what do you think will be His reaction? Do you live with by Christian principles in your workplace? Can you say that you are working for the Lord and not for men?