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Are there any toxic people in your life? Toxic people are those who live and behave in such a way that they spread poison throughout a home, an office, a factory, a church—wherever they spend much time.
I want to talk about the toxic people that may be in your life—specifically on your job—and how you should deal with them. The Bible warns us about such people, referring to them in many cases as fools or foolish people. Sometimes we need to confront these people, sometimes we simply should avoid them, but we should also try to understand them and if possible, help them.
Dealing with the Lazy Co-worker
One of the more common types of difficulties we encounter with co-workers is the person who is lazy and doesn’t pull his or her share of the workload. Have you ever worked with someone who fits this description? If so, you probably felt a lot of resentment and anger toward that person, and you were tempted to talk about that person in derogatory ways, make sarcastic remarks to him or her—and in general find that person a real thorn in your flesh!
You’ve probably noticed that the Bible doesn’t have a chapter on “dealing with difficult co-workers or managers,” but there are biblical principles which can be directly applied to this lazy co-worker or to anyone who is difficult.
Please realize that God’s principles may be far more than you would ever do on your own, and even more than your employer requires of you. God’s principles are higher, and we are held to a more righteous standard. The good news is that he empowers us to do what he requires us to do, by the Holy Spirit within us.
There are times you need to speak the truth in love to that lazy co-worker. That is far better than talking behind her back or harboring anger toward her. Before you can speak the truth in love, your motive has to be right.
I have written a Bible study on relationships, and one chapter goes into depth on how to deal with toxic or difficult people. We will be glad for you to have that chapter as our gift, if you will be willing to work through it and truly ask God to teach you how to deal with the difficult and toxic people in your life, even the lazy co-worker.