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Episode 6: Workplace Challenges
Thank you for being back for episode 6 on Bloom Where We Are Planted. Today, I want to share about workplace challenges. This is to identify common challenges and how Christians should respond to them.
When you become a Christian, it does not change the nature of work in the workplace. There will still be office politics, work and time pressure, rivalry, self-centeredness, unethical practices, moral compromises and other toxic aspects of the work environment. Do not be surprised by this as we live in a fallen world.
How does one deal with the undesirable elements of work? How does one deal with those who do not share our beliefs or values? The answer can be found in the parable of the wheat and the weeds in Matthew 13:24-30. This is what Jesus said:
The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared.
The owner’s servants came to him and said, “Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?”
“An enemy did this,” he replied.
The servants asked him, “Do you want us to go and pull them up?”
“No,” he answered, “because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.” (unquote)
The “weeds” in the field represent the sins in society. This can certainly include sinful practices in the workplace. We cannot prevent the growth of the “weeds”. In fact, God allows them so that mankind can exercise free will to choose good or evil, godly or carnal practices. Meanwhile, a gracious God still “causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matthew 5:45).
We do not run away from the world just because God did not take us out of the world. Instead, Jesus prayed that we be kept from the evil one (John 17:14-15). This implies that while God may not shield us from a toxic environment in the workplace, he does enable us to thrive in the midst of it.
God is the one who will eventually eliminate the “weeds”. That is his responsibility, not ours. On our part, we are asked to be faithful in preserving God’s goodness and shining for him.
How Should Christians Respond?
A guiding principle would be in the acronym WWJD, which stands for What Would Jesus Do? After all, we are to be like Christ in terms of beliefs, values, attitudes and behaviour. This can be a good starting point although the solution may not always be straightforward.
In many ways, our life in Christ is counter-cultural. Non-believers will take notice. Not surprisingly, they tend to criticize or ridicule a Christian more than those of other faiths. Our Lord Jesus knew what we would encounter when we cross the line and declare ourselves a child of God. We become like “lambs among wolves” (Luke 10:3).
But our Lord does not leave us helpless. He sends the Holy Spirit to impart wisdom and to help us be overcomers. God will eventually see us through our ordeals if we keep faith. We can come away with a Joseph-like attitude. He told his brothers at the end of his ordeal: “You intended to harm me but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done” (Genesis 50:20).
Having a godly and biblical perspective enables us to shine in the marketplace jungle out there. It gives meaning to being “in the world” but not “of the world”.
Let me now touch on three common areas that Christians will encounter in the workplace. The first has to do with the issue of syncretism
The Issue of Syncretism
In the context of the Christian faith, syncretism is the practice of combining one's faith with other beliefs or practices.
If you are a Chinese, you will find that syncretism can find itself in many areas in the workplace. For instance: feng shui (geomancy) is a commonly accepted practice which rules the way decisions are made and how life is to be lived. This is to ensure prosperity, harmony, or to ward off evil. Sadly, this has been accepted or practiced by some Christians in the workplace.
I had served a chairman of a large corporation who professed to be a Christian but also swore by feng shui. When a new building was built, he invited his pastor to bless the building and also had a feng shui master bless it on another day! Thankfully, knowing my Christian stand, he spared me the need to attend the feng shui ritual.
We have to make a stand and draw a clear line to maintain the purity of our faith even if it is at the expense of business considerations. We cannot serve both God and mammon (Matthew 6:24). To prevent falling prey to syncretism, one has to build a strong foundation of the Christian doctrines and to have a reverential fear of the Lord.
Another area I want to touch on is in the area of:
On this subject, Paul had this to say in Romans 13:1-2 -
Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. (unquote)
Strong words. He repeated it in his epistles to the churches in Colossae (Colossians 3:22) and in Ephesus (Ephesians 6:5-6). The basis of submission is to acknowledge that God is the one who ordains authority. To resist authority in normal circumstances is to rebel against God himself.
I believe in God’s wisdom here. This is how he maintains order in an otherwise rebellious and fallen world. Believers in Christ must set the example.
If we care to admit it, we often rebel because of our own pride or ego, or when we feel that we know better. In the workplace, this gets played out on an almost daily basis. But submission to authority is both a command and an attitude that develops our Christ-like character.
But are there limits to one’s submission to authority?
While the biblical injunction on submission to authority cannot be ignored, God’s law is always above man’s law. Since it is God who ordains authority, he also punishes and, at times, approves civil disobedience when we are asked to go against his moral law.
If faced with such a dilemma — to obey human authority or go against our God-given moral conscience, the right response should be to look at the concept of lordship. Who is ultimately the Lord of your life? Surely Christ must remain Lord of each sphere of your life. As the apostle Paul puts it: “He (Christ) is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17).
Therefore, the injunction to submit to authority should be subject to God’s law. When asked to do something or act in a way that infringes God’s law by those in authority, you must “obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).
Lastly, I want to touch on the common issue of:
According to the definition given by Merriam-Webster, office politics refers to “the activities, attitudes, or behaviours that are used to get or keep power or an advantage within a business or company”.
My focus is on office politics at the individual level. This involves gaining power and influence over others for the furtherance of one’s interests, at the expense of others. Those directly involved tend to be savvy in leveraging information for their own advantage. They are also socially adept in forming alliances to expand their power bases. The fundamental reason for office politics of a personal nature is self-interest.
The apostle James hit the nail on the head when he said in James 4:1: “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?” (unquote)
Is there a way to mitigate office politics?
There is no office that is free from politics. Even if we try to avoid it, we can still get sucked in! For instance, our superior may be involved in power play with his peers and we are expected to take sides or toe the line. If we are talented, we may also be targeted because we pose a threat to some of the colleagues who feel insecure.
However, as much as it depends on us, we should try to be apolitical or neutral. Instead of indulging in self-serving activities, try to put the interests of others above our own. Heed the advice of Paul when he says in Philippians 2:3-4 -
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. (unquote)
We are to be God’s change-agent wherever possible. We cannot avoid politicking but we can do our best to mitigate its negative effects.
Well, that’s all the time I have for today. In the next episode, I want to deal with the issue of what defines us. This has a serious implication on how we look at work and our values. Till then, see you and have a blessed week.
Study Questions
1. Discuss the challenges of submitting to authority (share your personal experiences, if any). Under what circumstances do you think civil disobedience is justifiable?
2. How would you deal with office politics from a godly perspective? What impact would it make?
3. Do you have any experience where you felt prompted by the Holy Spirit to take a course of action that seemed illogical, but later you could see that God had a purpose for it? Discuss.