Armed @ Work – Breastplate of Righteousness

Don’t you just hate “righteous” people? Don’t you sometimes want to take a pot-shot at them, or uncover some dastardly deed from the past?

And yet, in the armor Paul says we need to wear on a daily basis, the second “with the breastplate of righteousness in place” (Eph 6:14b). The question is what do we mean by righteousness? Is it the same as “self-righteousness”? Actually no, in many ways it’s the exact opposite. I’m struck by the words “in place” in the Ephesians verse – not that this is what Paul means, but there is a place for righteousness of the right kind.

In the Bible, righteousness and justice are almost interchangeable. And both of them essentially speak of doing the right thing for the right reasons or, even more fundamentally, acting as God would. For a Christian, right can only be absolutely defined in terms of God’s character – what is right is what is good and pleasing to Him – His will (see Romans 12:2 – “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” It is no coincidence that the precondition to knowing this will of God – the right way to act – is to be transformed by the Holy Spirit, rather than conforming (moulding) ourselves to this world’s patterns.

The self-righteous person is in fact conforming to this world’s ways – I am right, I have rights, I am entitled to seek self-justification. The truly righteous person is seeking to be transformed back into the image of God, following Christ’s example. This means seeking justice (even at personal cost), making the right ethical and compassionate decisions, and in all ways modeling the humility, love and grace of Jesus.

How does this act as a breastplate in the workplace? This piece of armor is, of course, designed to protect the heart and other vital internal organs. For the Romans and Greeks, as well as for us, the seat of the will and emotions was in this area and Paul surely had this metaphorical meaning in mind. Our heart needs to be protected against temptations to play safe, or to take the easy path, or even the path that will maximize benefit for ourselves. The only antidote is the protection of seeking God’s righteousness in every aspect of our lives.

I’ve been thinking a lot recently about Romans 12:2 (and am preaching on it on Sunday) – it is truly something of a life verse for me. The change in me – the metamorphosis (which is what the Greek word for transformation is here) – must be radical. The change from self-righteousness to God-righteousness is one I can’t afford to continue without. After all, what soldier in his right mind goes to war with no breastplate (aka bullet-proof vest)?

Armed @ Work – Belt of Truth

“Does this dress make me look fat?” Every man knows how dangerous this question is from our spouse or girlfriend, but what about from a colleague? Should we always tell the truth at work?

In the armor recommended by Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians, the very first item is the belt of truth: “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist” (Eph 6:14a). How does truth protect us from attack in the workplace (whether spiritual or any other kind)? There are times it seems as though the truth is the enemy.

“Did you finish that report I told you must be done today?”
“Well no – actually I was watching the basketball on espn3.com”

This hardly seems calculated to win us any battles. Obviously there is a different solution to this one. The truth will not be our friend if we are not living lives of integrity.

But actually I don’t think this kind of truth is really what Paul is talking about. I’m not saying we shouldn’t tell the truth in this sense – lying is certainly not going to protect us in the long run, regardless of the situation. But truth in the Bible is for the most part not about factual accuracy, but goes much deeper. It is about the ways things really are – and more specifically the way God has laid things out. It is about His sovereignty, His grace and mercy, His love, His justice, His compassion. To put it another way, truth is what we find in the Word of God (Jesus himself said, during his great “high priestly prayer”: “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.” (John 17:17)

A belt surrounds us, protects our vulnerable (and for some of us rather outsized) middles, and provides a sense of security (not least that our pants won’t fall down!) Truth is the same way – it is always safe, can always be depended upon to guide us to the right decisions, the right attitudes, to integrity. “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” (Psalm 119:105).

So what does it mean to wear the belt of truth at work? It means being familiar with God’s Word, and with His idea of what is good and right. It means being so familiar that God’s precepts are a vital part of who we are, that we have absorbed them so fully that they shape our every action, thought, motive and attitude. We need to be quite simply so immersed in the truth, the Bible, that we find ourselves meditating on it at unexpected moments, repeating verses to ourselves in times of need and of joy, turning to it for comfort, wisdom, and hope. God’s words to Joshua sum it up: “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” (Joshua 1:8)

Next time you go to work, don’t forget your belt – it could be embarrassing!

Armed @ Work – The Whole Armor of God

I just learned (and didn’t want to know) that my boss, the company owner, keeps a licensed firearm in his office drawer. It is true that some of our borrowers get pretty desperate if we have to foreclose, but still … On the other hand, I know how desperately I need to be spiritually armed while I’m here.

In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul says: “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes … [and] so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:10-12) To stand firm under attack, to remain faithful when tempted, to proclaim the hope of the Gospel when all is falling apart around me – this I want to do. So the next few posts will look at the individual pieces of spiritual armor.

But, you might say, this passage is talking about spiritual warfare, not business. I would respond that you have fallen into the common trap of wanting to separate worldly matters from the spiritual realm, which is something the Bible never does. If, as I believe, there is such a thing as spiritual warfare, then it surely takes place where we spend most of our time, which for many of us means at work.

If there is spiritual warfare going on in the workplace, then it is most likely focused on the Lordship of Christ – His spiritual enemies will work toward getting us to follow our own (or their) desires and inclinations rather than being submitted to and ruled by the Spirit within us. I don’t know how to distinguish between actual spiritual attack and the impact of my sinful nature. But in either case the result is temptation to anger, selfish ambition, pride, greed, injustice, and so on.

What Paul offers in this great passage is some protection. Just as it would be foolhardy to walk into a battle zone without appropriate protection and weaponry, so it is foolhardy to enter the spiritual battle zone at work without preparation. This is very practical stuff and hopefully I can learn something as I study and share on each item: belt of truth … breastplate of righteousness … readiness that comes from the gospel of peace ... shield of faith … helmet of salvation … sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:14-17).

Does my boss need a gun in the office? I hope not, though we’ve had some pretty out of control borrowers, and in truth it isn’t impossible. This is a just in case precaution, against the remote possibility of a homicidal client. Do I need spiritual armor? For certain, yes, because the enemies of God, personified in the Bible as the Satan, will most certainly do what they can to prevent God’s will being carried out where I work. I need (and you need) the full armor of God at work.