CONTRARY
TO OUR FAITH
BY JULIE COSGROVE
News Flash : This isn ’ t 1960 . Christianity is no longer the mainstream flowing through our culture . In fact , many believers today feel as if they are paddling against the social current day after day . Perhaps you do as well .
The good news ? You are not alone . The not so good news ? Welcome to a temporal and broken world . Not to sound flippant , but Jesus never promised His followers life would be easy . Jesus told his disciples ( and through Scripture He tells each believer today ) this : “ If the world hates you , keep in mind that it hated me first . If you belonged to the world , it would love you as its own . As it is , you do not belong to the world , but I have chosen you out of the world . That is why the world hates you . Remember what I told you : ‘ A servant is not greater than his master .’ If they persecuted me , they will persecute you also . If they obeyed my teaching , they will obey yours also ” John 15:18-20 .
So if we get eye rolls , sighs , and snarky remarks when we exhibit our faith in action in the workplace , should we be surprised ? No , not at all . In fact , we should expect it and be prepared to respond as Jesus did whenever He met opposition — quietly , truthfully and honestly . Perhaps we shouldn ’ t refer to our coworkers as a brood of vipers , but we should stand up for our faith in a non-combative way . People are watching closely to see what happens when the believer slips up . As long as we acknowledge when we are in error , seek reconciliation , treat people fairly , and try to live out the fruits of the
Spirit with everyone equally , we will honor God and be a witness to the truth of John 3:16 .
What if you are asked , as part of your job duties , to be unscrupulous ? What if a believer is asked to fudge the rules , sweep something under the rug , or downright lie in order to cover for the boss ? What if your supervisor tells the Christ-follower , as one of mine once did , that he or she is not allowed to wear a cross or read the Bible during the lunch break ? And what if the Christian uncovers illegal activities that a coworker or superior is engaging in , unbeknownst to management ? How does one handle that ?