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Recently over coffee a friend related how he was signing
off on a contract to provide mentoring support for the leadership of a
reasonably large company, when the CEO asked: "Mark, are you a Christian?".
Mark replied: "Well yes, but why do you ask?". The CEO replied: "Because
we have decided as a company never to deal with Christians again. We have
never been more badly treated than we have by Christians".
Now Mark (not his real name) got the contract and did a
fine job of turning this company around through the excellence of his
professionalism and authenticity of his life. But sadly, I have heard such
such stories far too often. Stories of so called Christians with a bad attitude to
money. Church attenders who provide shoddy workmanship, who don't pay their
bills promptly, who demand others provide services at cut rate prices. Christians who do not exhibit the fruit of the Spirit and the grace of
God in the way they work.
Brothers and sisters, it is HIGHLY DAMAGING to
God's kingdom to go to work with a
segmented life. Is
your life consistent Sunday to Monday? If
you have one attitude on Sunday and a different attitude on Monday you are at
high risk of discrediting Jesus in your daily occupation - the place where
you intersect with the world. Your work is the place where Jesus has sent you
as proof of his authenticity (John
17:18-23)!
As a Christian you are a witness of Jesus
to your work colleagues and clients. The only question is this: are you a good or a bad one?
By Peter Kentley.
*Above quote from the Association for Lighting
a Candle.
Sri Lanka:
www.aflacinternational.com.
Lighting a Candle at Work
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Hi my name is Stephen McCracken. I immigrated
to Australia in October of 1992 with my family from New Zealand. At the
time I was nineteen.
I had done alright at school but was by no means the brains of the class.
I finished school and worked at McDonalds for six months to save money to
go through a four and a half month, live in intensive School of
Evangelism. This was a great opportunity to learn spiritually but it
obviously did not advance me academically. After this I got a part time
job working at a Tyre Company helping out with general office duties. |
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My brother is a carpenter and loves being out doors. Put him in an office
and this would be the closest thing to hell for him here on earth. Take
that scenario and flip it and you have me. Physical hard work and labour –
I don’t think so!
Well then we moved to Australia and my thought very much was simple. Get
any job and do it to the best of my ability. A favourite Scripture of mine
is “whatever your hand finds to do, do it with ALL your might, not as a
man pleaser but unto the Lord”. I believe that we have the opportunity and
responsibility to reflect Christ wherever we are and whatever we are
doing.
A couple months after we arrived in Australia I got a job at Hume Doors &
Timber through a Church friend who also worked there. Guess what my job
was? My job was screwing hinges on door jambs all day, every day. This was
boring and very tedious. Let me say this was NOT what I intended to do for
the rest of my life.
I therefore had a decision to make. Do I do this half-heartedly or do I do
it as unto the Lord? I remembered another Scripture which says, “he who is
faithful in little will be faithful in much”. Let me say that secular
employers understand this principle also even if they don’t acknowledge
the source of the wisdom.
Well my choice was to excel. I decided I would be the best hinge screwer
that Hume Doors had employed. In order to do this I played a game with
myself of trying to increase the quantity I did each day. I did this
cheerfully and made every effort to get on with those I worked with.
Let me say that is not always easy. The second day I dodged a hammer that
was thrown at me by an extremely grumpy old man. Man did I have some
choices to make! Also I ended up wearing a large filter mask due to a skin
reaction to the MDF dust which made me look like Darth Vadar! This caused
some embarrassment but life deals you out those turns sometimes. You can’t
avoid them so the choice is how will I respond to it.
To cut this long story down here is the rest of the story in quick
summary. I was hired in March of 1993. I mentioned during that year to the
Manager as he walked through the factory one day that if there was ever a
job going in the office I would like to give it a try.
Christmas break-up that same year the Manager called me into his office
and said there was a job going in Sales and it was mine if I wanted it. I
accepted it immediately without question. I was in Sales for three and a
half years during which time I trained all new sales people. I set my mind
to learning as much as possible and therefore people used to ask me
technical advice regularly.
Throughout this time Hume Doors was growing rapidly. The Purchasing
Officer left and a new Production Department was being created. The
Manager came to me one day and asked if I would move out of Sales and
oversee both Purchasing and Production. Once again I accepted this offer
straight away.
I gave myself to this role whole heartedly and I had a great relationship
with the Manager. If something needed to be done the Manager was confident
enough to ask me to organize it and then he would leave it with me knowing
it would be done. There was great trust in our relationship and still is
to this day.
I coordinated Production and Purchasing for four years before I was
offered a job three days a week as an Associate Pastor. I always knew this
would eventuate one day and I had always been very open with my Manager
about it. I believe he respected me because I not only was open about
sharing my faith but I also made every endeavour to live it.
I feel an important note here is that our work mates should see we are
different. This does not mean perfection because you will make mistakes
and there will even be days where you get upset and display wrong motives
and actions. I feel the thing that made the difference for me was I was
very willing to admit my faults and put things right. Non Christians
aren’t looking for perfect Christians rather ones that will take
responsibility for their actions.
Back to the story. Hume Doors had never had part-time staff but the
Manager so wanted to retain me that he went to the Managing
Director and as a result for five years I worked at the Church three days
a week and Hume Doors only two. I had handed over both Purchasing and
Production so there was no official role for me. I worked closely with the
Manager helping out in Production, Purchasing, Sales and Factory
Supervising or wherever he needed me. Throughout this time I brought in
many new systems and was involved in hiring people, training people,
helping with people issues and being a general support and sounding board
to the Manager.
After almost twelve years it was time to leave Hume Doors and take up a
full-time position as Associate Pastor. I did this at the end of 2004
after much arm twisting by the Manager to stay. This included the offer of
MUCH more money and in the end the Manager asked me to state what I wanted
in order to stay.
I was able to say it was not about the money but fulfilling what I felt
destined to do. This year I have popped back in half a dozen times to a
very warm reception by all. I am determined to keep those relationships
which God blessed me with all those years. The Manager still regularly
offers me any job I want yet knows I am following my heart.
I have had people over for dinner, they have attended special events at
our Church, many of them have asked me for advice and counsel and there
are great life long relationships formed. This comes only by daily choices
and a desire to live life beyond yourself.
You can make a difference in your work place but it can only start by an
attitude of working as unto the Lord. God bless you as you serve Him.
Your Workplace is Your Mission
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