Sharing Jesus at work is tricky business,

whether you’re the boss or just one of the wage slaves. When you’re in harmony with the plan Jesus has for your life, the road can be easier.

When we try to share our faith at work, we often feel like a nut! The reality is there are a lot of things working against us as we seek to show ourselves as servants of Christ in this area of our lives. Three key ones include:

The present PC environment. Political Correctness advocates have a definite agenda. And it seems like the agenda includes rights for everyone except those who advocate following Jesus Christ. So, you may see advocacy for all sorts of issues in the workplace, but Christians are excluded. This is a deterrent to many would-be workplace evangelists.

Another thing that works against Christians is the fact people think they already know about the Christian faith. More than that, they think they have an expert knowledge of it! Yet, even though they say they have read the Bible, they really haven’t. Most of their knowledge is based something they learned at Sunday school when they went with a friend once at age 7, the secondhand views some celebrity, urban myths or perhaps their own confused musings.

A final hurdle is many people you’ll meet in the workplace have had a bad experience with another believer. A well-meaning zealot or a self-absorbed lapel grabber has used tactics in the past which spoils opportunities for outreach today.

A Positive Approach To Sharing Jesus At Work

Even though we may have some obstacles to reaching others at work, it’s still something Jesus asks us to do (Matthew 28:19-20) and a positive approach will reap huge rewards.

The first step in having a positive workplace witness is to make sure you are squared-away spiritually yourself. When you are walking closely with the Lord you won’t be prone to get stressed and fall victim to the anger and rash action that harms so many. Also, you won’t find yourself involved in gossip sessions or some of the back-stabbing politics that goes on in so many places of business. And without the emotional baggage and office intrigue, you’ll be free to be spiritually sensitive to those around you.

How can you insure a close walk with the Lord? There are many methods, but they boil down to making time for Jesus in your life. In marriage most of us have learned that good communication is essential. Marriages begin to drift when communication falters.

That’s exactly how it is in our relationship with Jesus. You need to keep in close contact with him, though reading his word, listening to him, talking to him, serving others in his name. How can you make more time for Jesus in your busy business life? Same way you do everyone else, you put Jesus in your appointment book, and you always keep your appointment with him.

The Benefits of Being “In Contact”

When you are in contact with Jesus on an ongoing basis you’ll find yourself strangely free. Free to be who you are in Christ, free to love others, free to speak openly about the Lord you love in a way that is heard by others.

Being free in Jesus is a wonderful thing. This freedom means that you do not have to feel the shame which is often associated with living your faith in public. When the PC contingent challenges your Christian values or your right to openly practice your faith, you can be above it. When workmates talk about hypocrites both you and they will know they’re talking about someone else. When know-it-alls start hacking away at your beliefs you can smile knowingly.

Being close to the Lord makes you free to love others. If you truly love them you will not try to smother them with your spirituality. Your love for them will allow you to wait for the Lord’s timing in your outreach.

The secret of workplace evangelism is the secret of all evangelism: you must meet people at their point of need. You’ll not win anyone to Jesus in an after-hours bull-session. You will win them when you show your concern when they are sick, or are experiencing marital or financial problems, or have lost a loved one.

When you are in constant contact with Jesus you become sensitive to the pain of others. And when you reach out to them quietly in the midst of their pain you’ll discover that Jesus is ready to do amazing things with your witness.

The main thing you’ll discover is that when you meet them at their point of need, they start listening. And that is the point where you start telling them the wonderful story of how God sent his Son to this earth to enfold them in his arms.

Being Ready

You may think that living the Christ-life at work is asking too much. You might suggest that no one has a concept of how competitive your business is or the demands you must face each day. You might protest that no one knows how really bad your coworkers are.

Well, someone does understand, and that’s Jesus himself. He said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

It is when we rest in Jesus that the power for witness and service comes!

You will feel like at nut at work if you try to share your faith alone. But teamed with Jesus you’ll find many opportunities to share his power in quiet and compelling ways.

Start Sharing Jesus At Work – Sharing is Caring!