1 Thessalonians 2v2c
2 We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition.
As Christians we will (eventually) be called upon to stand on principle, oppose or resist unethical business practices or do what is morally right even if it is ‘unsound’ from a commercial (someone’s) point of view. Paul and his team were treated ‘outrageously’, and knew more opposition was ahead of them … yet they ‘dared’ to present the Gospel anyway. With God’s help we can do this thing! We can demonstrate it with our actions and our words. ‘If we honor Him he will honor us. If we confess Him, He will confess us! If we deny Him, He will deny us’. (paraphrase Matt. 10:32)
Lots of people do the right (decent, honorable, morally commendable, etc.) things all the time. In civilized society this is often the norm. And treating employees fairly and equitably is widely accepted as ‘smart business’ – is a ‘sound investment in people which is an investment in our business success’.
The amazing difference, however, is that when we as Christians do this and live the life to honor Him, He uses our lives as Gospel Good News to a lost world and can change lives for eternity. Even the smallest of actions, the simplest of words, can have life-changing impact and eternal consequences. The opposition may be subtle, or indirect, or may come from the very nature of the culture and system of the organization itself – and it may be more ‘spiritually adversarial’ than we would like to think. But we can’t get paranoid about it, but simply because of who we are in Christ, we WILL be opposed in some way or other.
PRAYER IN ACTION
Lord, help me to level the performance and support ‘playing field’ for my people - my team and colleagues. Show me how to ensure that I never ask them to do something I wouldn’t do myself – and nothing unethical, immoral, illegal … and nothing that is too far outside their capability. But also help me to help them to stretch, grow, learn and improve so they can stand on their own with confidence and with their values still intact.
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
(Martin Luther King, Jr.)
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