Post by Les Brewer on Nov 6, 2018 23:47:26 GMT
People Perspective By Regina Franklin
Read: Romans 12:1-21
Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! (Romans 12:16).
My coworkers bring me great joy; we’re like family. In large part, it’s the reason I’ve chosen to keep working where I do, even though my organization has experienced numerous transitions. But I know this isn’t typical; a job often is a difficult place to find strong relationships. For some, work is simply a way to put food on the table.
Christ’s transformational work in us calls us to a new way of thinking, including in our jobs (Romans 12:1-2). Our culture often sees work as primarily a means of serving ourselves, whether through feeling self-actualized by reaching goals or by gaining influence. In the midst of a regular workday, we can often see only tasks and deadlines. We easily forget that as believers in Jesus we should be viewing life from a “people” perspective. When we have a different mindset than the world’s definition of success, we can influence our environment for Jesus.
The pressure to prove we’re not only capable but the most skilled is a tangible tension in the workplace. Because our work ethic is a witness of Christ’s goodness in us, we should value excellence, but we shouldn’t do so at the expense of seeing ourselves as better than others (Romans 12:3,11,16). Instead, we’re to relate to our co-workers in a way that communicates their inherent value and God-given abilities (Romans 12:4-10). Even our response to difficulty and injustice in our jobs can become a witness to how we define hope and triumph differently than those who work only for themselves (Romans 12:12,14,17-21).
Like us, our co-workers live out complicated stories, full of chapters with hopes, challenges, and disappointments. May we reach out to them in Jesus’ love—bringing the joy that flows from Him.
More: Read Colossians 4:5-6 and consider how others might view Jesus based on your actions and conversations at work.
Next: What makes it hard for you to reflect Jesus while on the job? How can focusing on individual people help you deal with the frustrations you face at work?
Read: Romans 12:1-21
Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! (Romans 12:16).
My coworkers bring me great joy; we’re like family. In large part, it’s the reason I’ve chosen to keep working where I do, even though my organization has experienced numerous transitions. But I know this isn’t typical; a job often is a difficult place to find strong relationships. For some, work is simply a way to put food on the table.
Christ’s transformational work in us calls us to a new way of thinking, including in our jobs (Romans 12:1-2). Our culture often sees work as primarily a means of serving ourselves, whether through feeling self-actualized by reaching goals or by gaining influence. In the midst of a regular workday, we can often see only tasks and deadlines. We easily forget that as believers in Jesus we should be viewing life from a “people” perspective. When we have a different mindset than the world’s definition of success, we can influence our environment for Jesus.
The pressure to prove we’re not only capable but the most skilled is a tangible tension in the workplace. Because our work ethic is a witness of Christ’s goodness in us, we should value excellence, but we shouldn’t do so at the expense of seeing ourselves as better than others (Romans 12:3,11,16). Instead, we’re to relate to our co-workers in a way that communicates their inherent value and God-given abilities (Romans 12:4-10). Even our response to difficulty and injustice in our jobs can become a witness to how we define hope and triumph differently than those who work only for themselves (Romans 12:12,14,17-21).
Like us, our co-workers live out complicated stories, full of chapters with hopes, challenges, and disappointments. May we reach out to them in Jesus’ love—bringing the joy that flows from Him.
More: Read Colossians 4:5-6 and consider how others might view Jesus based on your actions and conversations at work.
Next: What makes it hard for you to reflect Jesus while on the job? How can focusing on individual people help you deal with the frustrations you face at work?
