Conflict in the workplace is commonplace. How do we fight it? With harsh words? Fight fire with fire? Too often we do. But the greatest weapon of all is the good news of peace.
Paul says in Ephesians 6:15 that we should stand firm “with [our] feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace”. Going to work with military boots on isn’t necessarily going to help with conflict resolution. So what does this verse have to do with the workplace?
A Roman soldier’s boots were designed to ensure stability in combat – protective without slowing him down, and spiked for a good purchase in difficult terrain. It is that stability that we gain when we’re armed with the gospel, the good news, of God’s peace (the “peace that passes all understanding” of Philippians 4:7, which was promised by Jesus in John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”) This peace is the shalom of the Old Testament (eirene in the New), which speaks of rightness, reconciliation, completeness and security, not just absence of conflict.
When we walk into a difficult meeting, or are confronted by an angry investor, customer or employee, our natural tendency is to be defensive or combative (at least mine is). If our ego is being challenged, or our security, we will lash out and try to use aggression (or passive aggression) to defend ourselves. However, if we are at peace, knowing we are loved and valued by God, knowing that we are in the place He wants us, this reaction becomes unnecessary. When we are at fault, we can acknowledge it and seek to make reparation. When we are being falsely accused, we can calmly seek to set the record straight, and can accept the consequences, no matter how unfair, if this isn’t sufficient for our accuser.
A key element of this piece of armor is “readiness”. It is no good going into a meeting, discovering we’re under attack, and then trying to throw out an arrow prayer requesting peace. In my experience it just doesn’t work like that. The preparation comes from our daily walk with God, our routines of worship, prayer and Bible study, our fellowship with other believes who challenge and encourage us, and who accept us as people beloved by God. By such things, our feet become fitted with this readiness, the readiness that comes from knowing for sure the best of all possible news, that we are at peace with God, the creator and supreme ruler of the universe. How could anyone else possibly threaten us?
Is there a place for mercy at work? In particular, can a property owner afford to put off evicting a non-paying tenant, when investors and lenders have to be kept happy? Surely mercy in business is quite impractical?
Mercy takes a number of forms, some of which may not be the most obvious. We have an interesting example just about to close. We had foreclosed on two pieces of land. One had on it a run-down ranch-house, quite uninhabitable and clearly a drain on the property’s value. The other, smaller, piece had on it a mobile home, with a family of six, paying no rent. The owner was a surveyor with the local county, but was laid off when the recession started, and has pretty much given up. When we received an offer to buy the smaller piece of land, one condition was that we evict this tenant. Instead, working with the tenant and our broker, we worked out an arrangement in which he would prepare the house on the other piece of land for him and his family to live in, and would continue to improve it, in lieu of rent. We provided the raw materials and he has provided countless hours of labor (as has the broker, as an act of service). He and his family now have a home for at least a few months, and breathing room to refocus on job-hunting and rehabilitation. We have a house also in process of rehabilitation – the broker estimates that our $5,000 of materials outlay has already likely increased the value of that property by $100,000.
This was a refreshing opportunity that worked out much better for everyone than we imagined, but they are few and far between. There have been other times when we have had no alternative, and have had to proceed with eviction in order to be able to prepare a property for sale. If we don’t do this, we fail in our financial responsibility to our investors.
If we have a tenant (or a borrower) who has a viable plan to resolve the problem (e.g. buying the property, or starting to pay rent, or paying off a loan), then we can and must work with them within reason. There are many lenders and property managers who will see the other party’s problem as an opportunity to seize property or get increased income. We try very hard not to benefit on the backs of others. Determining when the alternative of waiting or working with them is very hard sometimes though – only too often we’ve been spun stories that have no foundation in either practicality or even intention.
Sadly, more often than not, even after we’ve worked with people, we end up having to go through with the foreclosure or the eviction. We wish it were not true. Often we will then get sued by them. I don’t think we’ve ever lost one of these cases, but of course they take up time and legal expense. We understand though – they’re often desperate. There are opportunities to show mercy here too, though we don’t always feel inclined to, given the nature of the invective poured out on us.
Mercy is hard in business. But then I have to ask “how much harder must it be for God to show mercy to us?” How much more have we offended Him, disobeyed, rebelled, cursed and angered Him? He evicted Adam and Eve from Eden because of their disobedience – do we deserve any less? And yet He welcomes us into His Kingdom. Amazing mercy and love!
