PROGRAM W-1766 – Part I
What does it mean to “reflect Christ”? It’s a rather unusual use of words. Has anyone ever said to you, “You reflect your mother”? No, usually we say something like “You look like your mother,” or “You remind me of your mother,” or “That’s exactly what your mother would say.” If I reflect my mother, even though I don’t look like her, people might comment on my mannerisms, words, or way of life as to how it is very similar to my mother’s ways or mannerisms. That, of course, is because she raised me and it’s only natural that I would take on her ways and attitudes.
For example, my mother would always clean the house really well before going away for a few days, so I do the same thing. I just don’t want to come home to a dirty house. But my husband—and my son-in-law—find that strange. Nobody’s going to be here so who cares how it looks? That’s the way they think. But I’m like my mother—I watched how she did things and I followed in her ways. In that way, I reflect my mother.
Obviously it’s very important whom we choose to reflect. Thankfully for me, my mother was the best person in the world for me to emulate. But I know that’s not true of everyone, and maybe you’re dealing with some mannerisms, habits, or ways of doing things which you learned from someone but they’re not positive or helpful. That’s another “kettle of fish,” as we say.
Today I want to talk specifically about how you and I—who call ourselves Christ-followers, who have claimed the free gift of salvation which Jesus offers, who’ve placed our faith in him, and thereby have become children of God—should and can reflect Christ, particularly on our jobs. Of course, we should reflect Christ in all areas of our lives, but I want to look at it from the perspective of reflecting Christ in the often-godless environments you may encounter on your job.
Your job is typically not a place where you can take time to open the Bible and share your faith. You’re there to do a job and to do it well. However, there are so many ways you can reflect Christ as you do your job—things which will perhaps open doors for you to share your faith. You simply need to be intentional about it. I would like to help you by sharing with you five things you can do to reflect Christ on your job.
1. Reflect Christ in Your Thought Life and Attitudes
Everything begins in your thoughts. The Bible says that as we think in our heart, so we are. (Proverbs 23:7) What you allow yourself to think about and what you refuse to think about are totally critical to your success in any area of your life. Did you know that you have the power through Christ to put wrong thoughts and wrong thinking out of your head? And if you know that, do you practice it?
Your thought life will determine your attitudes. Think, for example, about your attitude toward your job. Are your thoughts of your job mostly positive or mostly negative? If you see your job as simply a duty required of you in order to pay your bills—a necessary drudgery, as it were—then I would suggest that this attitude does not reflect Christ. Maybe you really want a job, but not the one you have. Your attitude toward your specific job—the work environment, the people you have to deal with, the job content itself—is not positive. Do you face most of your days with a sense of drudgery, with an “It’s time to make the donuts” attitude? If so, believe me, it shows! This is not a reflection of Christ.
In writing to the Christians in Colossae, Paul said, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving” (Colossians 3:23-24). If you want to reflect Christ on your job and please the Lord Jesus, then make sure you keep your attitude toward your job in good shape. You’re working for the Lord, so work at it with all your heart. Others may never appreciate your good work, but you will receive a blessing—an inheritance—from the Lord as a reward.
This means you don’t bad-mouth the company, the boss, or your coworkers—never! It doesn’t mean you stick your head in the sand and ignore wrong practices or behavior, but unless you’re doing something to make matters better, you keep your mouth shut. Instead, pray about what’s wrong or who is wrong.
Also, reflecting Christ in your thoughts means you don’t live in continual worry-mode. You lost a customer, your boss tries to micromanage, or you work with a coworker who finds every opportunity to stab you in the back. Those things can keep you in worry-mode which doesn’t reflect Christ, does it? Jesus made it very clear that we are not to worry because we have a heavenly Father watching over us and supplying our needs. Therefore, to reflect Jesus, you must keep your thoughts from residing in worry-territory.
Maybe your thoughts are proud, thinking you can do it, you’re the best, and you’re better than those for or with whom you work. As a result, you have forgotten that everything you have is a gift from God—including your gifts and abilities—and any accomplishments you have are because of his power in you. Or perhaps your job—your career—is all about you: How high can you climb the ladder? How much money can you make? How soon can you get that next promotion? If this is your attitude toward your job, it doesn’t reflect Christ.
These are all common attitudes in the workplace for people with or for whom you work. However, they should not be your thoughts and attitudes if you truly want to reflect Christ because, to reflect Christ, you have much different guidelines for your thought life.
2. Reflect Christ in Your Words
We say what we think. Therefore, in a way, you could say that your words and your talk will reflect Christ as long as your thoughts do. And this is true, for the most part. However, we still need to develop a sensibility and give thought to our word choices as well as to the kind of talk we engage in on the job.
I recognize for myself that I am often just too quick on the trigger. I can come back with something that I think is funny or cute, when in fact it can seem offensive to someone else. Or it may simply be my tone of voice which sounds irritated or harsh, and I don’t even realize it. Maybe a sarcastic remark or teasing in a way that comes across as hurtful. These responses are not a good reflection of Christ.
Think about it: Is there a good bit of gossip going on where you work? How about malicious talk or lots of criticism? If you want to reflect Christ where you work, you should never be party to that kind of talk. Talking about your boss behind his or her back is not only wrong for us as Christ-followers, it is just not smart.
There’s a verse in Ecclesiastes 10:20 which gives good advice:
Do not revile the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird in the sky may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say.
Once again, we see how our words begin with our thoughts. Wise Solomon tells us not even to have gossip or malicious thoughts about those in authority over us. He says those thoughts are likely to turn into words, those words will eventually get back to that boss, and you will come to regret having said them. Here’s a good biblical principle when it comes to what you say: Don’t say anything about anyone that you would not say to them. Jesus said if you have something against someone or they have something against you, go to them in person and try to get it resolved.
If you’re going to talk about someone, run it by this criteria: Would you say the same thing to that person which you said about them? Thinking about your words before you say them could save you a bunch of regrets, and you will reflect Christ.
3. Reflect Christ in Your Relationships
Someone has written that we live in a culture of indifference where we are so busy that we don’t have time to show concern or compassion for the people around us. You will never reflect Christ on your job unless you truly care about the people around you, and show that care and concern in appropriate ways. Jesus said there are two key commandments: Love God and love others—love your neighbor as you love yourself.
Isaiah 61:1 says, “The Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners.” In other words, a Christ-attitude is one that reaches out and forms connections with people in order to be there for them.
What have you done—what are you doing—to try to form closer connections with the people on your job? Have you gone out of your way to be a friend, a counselor, or an encourager?
I think of my friend, Janet, who truly sees everyone she works with and for, as well as her many clients, as people God has put in her life to whom she should show the love of Jesus. She’s a successful lawyer and she’s super busy, but every day she’s thinking about, praying for, and trying to help the people she interacts with on her job. She often will send me a text to pray for some coworker in need or for an upcoming conversation with a client, and her prayer is to show the love of Jesus to them in the way she talks, the way she listens, and the way she responds to them. She reflects Christ on her job and she does it because she is intentional about it. That’s uppermost in her mind as she heads out to work each day.