Faith At Work
- Reflecting God's Character (1)
- It's All About Love (3)
- Here I am. Send me! (4)
- Salt and Light in the Office (5)
I have spent many years involved in the training of staff in schools, often focussing on the values these practitioners hold. I love getting staff to think of a teacher who had a particularly positive influence on them when they were in school. Then I ask them to explain what it was about the teacher that had such a lasting impact. The answer is never, ‘The way she taught me to solve differential equations’, or ‘The wonderful way he taught me to improve my handwriting’, it is almost always about his or her character. The remembered teacher will have been kind or communicated value in a meaningful way. Character communicates. The degree to which we glorify God in our work is linked fundamentally to the way in which we communicate his character in what we do and say.
Two aspects of God’s character are inescapable in a reading of the Psalms or Proverbs – his love and his faithfulness. These are the two characteristics that are essential to leadership according to Proverbs 20:28. If we are to reflect God’s character in our work, we will need to display these attributes.
Displaying love
How we communicate love is dependent on the culture of our workplace and the personality of the people we are trying to love. A hug might work for the person but be very odd in the culture. Turning up on time might matter to an individual, even though in the workplace no-one else seems to care. If we are going to communicate love, we need to find out what our colleagues appreciate. As Proverbs 18:13 says, ‘If one gives an answer before he hears, it is his folly and shame.’
There are two aspects to displaying love in this way. Firstly, we can be proactive. I try to do one unsolicited kind act every day. These are usually small things, such as making someone a cup of tea, but over time these acts will communicate love, value and appreciation. Proverbs 3:27 puts it very well, ‘Do not refuse good to those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.’
Secondly, love is often seen in the way we react to situations. The workplace is full of opportunities to show love and grace in our responses. As an aside, this does not mean being weak. We can refuse to be rude in response to rudeness without caving in on an important issue.
Displaying faithfulness
The good that we do in displaying love can be completely undermined if we do not act faithfully in the work we have been given to do. When I fail to meet a deadline (which I did in writing this article!) I am not being faithful. I am sure we all know lovely people whom you would not trust to get something important done. We all know the faithful, dependable people at work. If they say they will do something, it gets done. These are people of integrity who walk securely (Prov. 10:9) and we reflect God’s character when we are like this.
It goes without saying that Jesus reflects these characteristics perfectly, and never more so than when he brings them together in his death on the cross. The degree to which we display this kind of self-sacrificial love and faithfulness at work is the degree to which we will glorify God.
