Issue 207
This is part of a six-month series looking at the Sermon on the Mount from a workplace angle: enjoy the ride!
Have you noticed that there are some people who are very good at what they do? They work hard, meet deadlines and achieve targets. When Jesus calls you to let people see your good deeds does he mean this? It may include this, but it can’t be enough.
Some people are kind and thoughtful at work; encouraging others and bringing out the best; developing their teams. Is this what Jesus had in mind? Possibly, but not completely. There are workers who are supremely professional in all that they do. They notice the detail or capture a vision – they make things happen and promote all kinds of growth – is that what Jesus wants? Potentially,but not completely.
If letting your light shine was just about the good deeds of doing your job well then the employee of the year, top sales person or most popular colleague would have cornered the spiritual market – by accident.
When Jesus calls you to let your light shine so that people can see your good deeds he isn’t just calling for high standards, achieved goals or punctured targets; he isn’t just calling for you to be a great person to work with, even though all of these things are valuable, significant and extremely important. Unprofessional, shoddy, unpleasant work will not speak well of your reputation. God loves to see you working well and enjoying your work.
It’s just that here in the sermon Jesus is not calling for a good life, but an inexplicable one. When people see how you work Jesus doesn’t just want them to say he or she is good at their work, the verdict needs to be that the praise goes to your Father in Heaven. The way you work and act and talk at work must not make sense to your colleagues unless there is a God. So let them see that you care about standards because God does. Let them see that you care about people because he does. Let them see that you want to get it right because God does.
But let them see your struggle to be faithful, your pain over those who ignore God, your heart for prayer and your hunger for God. Let them see your utter trust that your life and work and career are in the hands of God and let them see your light as coming from the Light of the World himself. These are good deeds too – even when you mess up – because honesty is the authentic path – then maybe, just maybe some will realise that you are not just on a career path but on a narrow path and your steps are ordered by your Father and your progress cannot be explained except by reference to Him. More help with these good practices is to follow…
Matthew 5:14-16
14 “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
In preparation for the next GEOFFSHATTOCKweekly, do feel free to email us your thoughts to wtw@worktalk.gs or leave a comment on our Facebook or Twitter profile. You can also visit our YouTube channel - get inspired and share Worktalk's vision with others.
Work well
Geoff Shattock
© Copyright 2024 Geoff Shattock
All GEOFFSHATTOCKweekly archives are for personal use only. For permission to use for any other purposes please email using the address below thank you.
WORKTALK LEARNING
1 Washington Villas, Hythe Road, Marchwood, Southampton, Hampshire, SO40 4WT United Kingdom
T:+44 (0)23 8086 8543
http://www.geoffshattock.com
comms@worktalk.gs
