Being An Overcomer!

Hi folks

Yes, it is tough being a Christian in the workplace.  Sometimes I think about quiting and seek the shelter of my church or some other Christian ministry so that I can work among Christians and not have to face the evil in the world.  But we are all called to be ambassadors (2 Cor 5:20).  Are ambassadors stationed in their own country or in a foreign country?  Right, you get my point.

Our workplace is our foreign country.  We are representatives of Christ in that country.  We are placed there to meet the needs of the people through Christ.  As ambassadors our message is the message of reconciliation, that God is not holding their sins against them anymore in Christ (2Cor 5:19).  But it is not just with words that we proclaim this but also in the way we conduct our lives.

When Jesus ministered, yes, He taught in the temples, but He spent much time outside the temples in the marketplace, with the common folks like the fishermen and tax collectors, meeting people going about their business.

He was not a Sabbath rabbi (equivalent of a modern day Sunday Cell Grp Leader).  He did not hole himself up in the temple just to debate with the Pharisees and other teachers of the law.  He was out in the world, meeting the needs of people, showing them the way, teaching them, healing them, forgiving them, saving them.

So it is really not about what we do (whether full time in church or as a foreign missionary or in our workplace) but about being ambassadors for Christ wherever He placed us.  Even the Apostle Paul worked as a tent maker for a time while evangelising and planting churches.

Ultimately we are to fulfill the Great Commission to go make disciples of all nations, yes, even in our workplace, not just in our CG.

So how do we do it in our workplace full of non-believers?

Remember Jesus said we are the salt of the earth (Mt 5:13) and light of the world (Mt 5:14)?

So why salt?

During Jesus' time, they had no refridgerators.  They used salt to preserve food like fish, to prevent them from getting corrupted and spoilt.

Similarly, we are to preserve the good in our workplace, to prevent our workplace from degenerating into a den of thieves.  Look at what is happening in some of the world's largest companies like Enron.  When a company falls like that, it causes hardship and suffering to many thousands of innocent people, employees, customers and shareholders, and don't forget their families too!

Also, salt needs to be spread all over the fish to preserve the whole fish.  What if all the salt congregates in one corner?  It will become quite useless right?  :-)   So we need to be IN the world to be effective, not getting cozy and comfortable in church or CG or just among Christians.

So how are we to be effective?  Simply by being the light
[Jesus said] "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed." (John 3:19-20 NIV)
So what does it mean to be the light?  By living by the truth
"...whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."  (John 3:21 NIV)

[Jesus encourages us to] "let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." (Mt 5:16 NASB)
Hey, it is not going to be easy.  But let us look to Jesus who has overcome the world!
These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world. (Jn 16:33 NASB)

For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith.  Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?  (1Jn 5:4,5 NASB)
And we who believes that Jesus is the Son of God are overcomers! Hallelujah!!

For His Glory!