Daily Sacrifices on the Job
Daily Sacrifices on the Job
Who is the man who fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way he should choose… Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for You. -Psalm 25:12, 21
--Your boss walks into your office and hands you the firm's largest account. Before you accept the assignment, though, he wants your assurances your faith won't get in the way of delivering what the client wants…an advertising campaign that uses sex to sell the firm's products.
--Sitting in a management meeting, you listen as your manager describes the reasons why the department can't make its deadline for the new project. You know from your previous conversations in her office she's worried she'll lose her job, but you're startled to hear her give a reason that isn't true as she talks in the meeting. Her manager, obviously upset with the missed deadline, turns to you and asks you directly if you agree with her assessment.
--There's heavy competition for the next rung up the ladder, and you're under consideration with two other department heads. During strategy sessions, you notice one or both of them are highlighting your weaknesses. In other, more subtle ways, you know one of them is taking shots at you via the office grapevine designed to make themselves more attractive by making you less so. The work culture has always rewarded these behind-the-scenes political games, and you see the promotion slipping away. Your coworker pulls you aside and gives you ammunition to do the same thing.
--The raise just sits there taunting you. The things you could do for your family with that money would delight them, and make life easier for all of you. But you know the job's too big for you, and that someone else in your firm is better equipped to handle it. Still, if you pass this one up, it isn't likely another chance will come along.
--Negotiations aren't going well between the union and the company. Anticipating a long strike, the company presses the workers hard, hoping to build up its inventory. To strengthen its hand, though, the union is calling on its workers to deliberately slow down their output. Pressure from your coworkers increases as they notice you're still working at the same pace…
Christians like to play the "what if" game when it comes to our devotion to Christ. "What if soldiers are pointing a gun at you, telling you to step on a Bible and deny your faith, or step over it and be killed?" Those kinds of dramatic persecution questions were common once, especially in the Cold War era.
But most of the "what ifs" that really matter slip by us as unnoticed moments of testimony. Every day, in a culture built on competition, there are people willing to bend or break the rules in order to get ahead. Often it feels like we must do the same just to stay in the race, let alone win.
This is especially true when we've invested a lot in being considered for promotion, or when others are depending on us for their well-being or support. We can see the goal right there in front of us, and the little white lie or the shading of a principle of truth is all that lies between us and our goal. In those moments, it seems monumentally unfair that others might benefit from our scruples.
But Jesus never promised us life would be fair. He never promised the journey would be profitable, successful or even comfortable. In fact, He warns us that taking up His mission would likely mean sacrifice, struggle and even oppression.
Running a race to win is never inherently sinful, and neither is striving to be successful in our careers. But Christians are called to represent Christ in every moment of their work lives, in every decision of their careers. Each time we fail to adhere to His standards, we fail Him.
Never believe others when they tell you that stretching to be your best in your jobs is wrong. God is glorified best when we give our best. But never let the rewards of our labors tempt us to abandon the rules, the often more demanding rules, that a life surrendered to Christ requires we obey.
Our faith speaks loudest in the moments we think are most unseen.