Do you read My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers? I try to read it daily and have off and on for years. Today’s post is titled The Destitution of Service and it presents an interesting challenge when we extend the idea of following Jesus as a ministry into the workplace.
In the brief article, Chambers comments by stating that we serve God with a reserve if, when God calls us to service, we hesitate and consider what the service will cost us in salary, climate or security.
“Paul delighted to spend himself out for God’s interests in other people and he did not care what it cost. We come in with our economical notions – ‘Suppose God wants me to go there – What about the salary, what about the climate? How shall I be looked after?'”
How is a workplace minister to process this question? What do we do if we are demoted? What do we do if management doesn’t pay us our bonus or fails to include us in the annual merit program? How do we react when our commission is calculated differently than we understood? What do we do if we’re passed up for a promotion?
What do we do if we’re offered a better job? What if it is in another city? What do we do if we don’t like our boss or our working conditions?
Because God is sovereign, we can’t be where we are totally by accident. We’re called to serve others, our friends, neighbors, coworkers and our customers as followers of Jesus in our wherever we are.
So I’m asking. How do you think God intends for His followers to respond when they are treated unfairly at their workplace?
I’m in the process of launching an online community for workplace ministers called Follower Of One. Would you help? If you’re interested, let me know in the comments below and I’ll send you more information. Thanks in advance!
Photo © Oksana Kusmina Fotolia
Mike Henry Sr. 
Mike, you raise an excellent question and one that I struggled with when I was working in the public school system where proclaiming your faith was something you had to be mindful of. Fortunately, For me the simple answer is to emulate Jesus and show respect, demonstrate courage and above all show some grace. This is easier said than done though. I am thankful that you are embarking on connecting workplace ministers (love this) and would be interested in finding out more and helping out. Appreciate your thoughts!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Claudio. I wonder where the line is. This time of year, too many of us are struggling with raises and compensation. Even Scott Adams, author of the Dilbert comic deals with it again today. How much energy do we spend on our career and compensation? Where do we draw the line? Or do we? Anyone else?
LikeLiked by 1 person