Armed @ Work – Shield of Faith

Besieged. That’s how I feel sometimes at work. Everyone wants a piece of me. Lawsuits, demands for information, angry phone calls, impatient emails.

That’s the obvious surface form of the siege. But under the surface, there’s another kind of attack – the “flaming arrows of the evil one” described by Paul in Ephesians 6:16. These are in particular temptations to lose hope, fear the future, compromise ethics, withdraw into our own problems, stop loving.

Paul’s solution is “the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one”. How does this help with what Paul had in mind, and in particular how does it help at work?

For the soldier of Paul’s time, a special concern was an attack that involved opponents soaking arrows in pitch, setting fire to them, and then firing them high over the opposing army so that hundreds of them at a time would come down upon the heads of the soldiers. The shields would (in theory) be interlocked over their heads so that the arrows would fall harmlessly and could be extinguished. For us, it seems these burning arrows can fall from any angle, and at any time. That means, the shield must be constantly up and protecting us. Often, it is when our guard is down the most that we are most vulnerable.

Faith is powerful indeed. It will extinguish arrows of doubt, replacing them with the certainty of God’s love and mercy. Faith will snuff out our sense of guilt, replacing it with gratitude for God’s assured forgiveness. And it is by faith that we will defeat fear, through reminders of God’s faithfulness and His perfect plans – fear is thus replaced by hope.

And now to the workplace. When I feel besieged, when it seems that things are all going downhill, I have a tendency to express my frustration, my doubts about the future, and my temptations to just quit and do something more “rewarding” (whether financially or personally, what I mean by this is usually self-centered, not God-centered). What impact does this have on the rest of the staff? Or on my boss, the owner of the company? Let’s be careful here – I’m not talking about the need for us to have faith in the company, or our business model, or our boss, or our future. These are, in fact, all just as uncertain as they feel. What I can bring to our staff is a faith in God that gives perspective, puts priorities in order, shows what is really valuable, and offers hope that God is in fact in control of His creation, and that His plans transcend any short-term financial crisis. This faith isn’t something for me to be proud of – it is a gift of the Holy Spirit, offered to all.

It is faith, ultimately, that helps me see that what I do here is truly worth doing, even if every plan fails, every negotiation falls apart, and even if in the end we collapse financially. Because I am called to this place, by a God who knows what He is doing! I am called to these people with whom I work, because God loves them beyond imagination. I am called to live a life of the Spirit, so that God will show the world His majestic glory, His righteousness, His mercy, His love, and His sovereignty.

Without faith, our lives lose meaning, and our jobs lose meaning too. For a while we may seem to be accomplishing something, but it is a house of cards, and will sooner or later fall flat. Only God’s work, performed through us, is truly enduring. That’s what we’re called to do in our daily work. If only we lived our entire lives in this faith, the burning arrows would be no more than warm pin-pricks on our shields.

Armed @ Work – Gospel of Peace

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?

Mercy @ Work – Eviction

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!

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.

Justice @ Work – Apathy or Action?

You see something at work that just seems wrong. What do you do about it? Do you look the other way, to keep yourself out of trouble? Can you do anything about it anyway?

One of the great things about being a “big fish in a small pond” is the opportunity to get involved, to fix things that are broken, to right injustice, and to influence a whole corporate culture. When I was a much smaller fish in a much bigger pond (Bank of America) though, it seemed like there was nothing I could do to address things that weren’t right. So it was tempting to be in denial, even going so far as defending my employer when I had sincere doubts about what they were doing.

The Biblical call in Micah 5:8 “to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” is well known. But it is much more comfortable for us to think of this as something remote – writing letters to our US Senator about atrocities in Darfur, for example. If we have to apply it to our daily lives things get much more dangerous. The reality is that any time we confront injustice we are taking risks.
So we need discernment along the lines of the great serenity prayer:

     God grant me the serenity
     to accept the things I cannot change;
     courage to change the things I can;
     and wisdom to know the difference.

We need to know when to simply accept that we cannot impact injustice, and when to take the risks inherent in acting against it. I think of our reactions to injustice, whether at work or elsewhere, at four levels.

Apathy. When we turn away, or deny, or tacitly or actively defend injustice, we are being apathetic – literally not feeling for the victims of injustice. Can this ever be right? I don’t think so. Acceptance that I cannot change things does not require that I have no feeling toward those who are impacted.

Awareness. I may not be able to change anything but I need to be aware of the impact of injustice on those around me. I may not be able to change the personnel policy of a large company to provide adequate time off, or to pay appropriate wages to thousands of people. But I will be contact with those who are impacted, and I can show compassion. Later on, as I rise up the company, or if I join a smaller company, I can remember these lessons and have a real impact. This is exactly what has happened for me in, for example, improving the vacation policy for my smaller company.

Activism. Even though I can’t directly change unjust practices, I can help with raising awareness, and I can petition those with the power to make changes. Most companies have opportunities, through mailboxes, public meetings, or corporate email, to raise concerns without fear of recriminations. In some cases, we may have to rely on “whistle-blower” laws to protect us – this is extremely uncomfortable but there are times we know it to be right.

Action. When we are in a position to directly change unjust practices and policies we simply need to do it, regardless of the impact on the company’s bottom line. Now that I am in a top executive position in a small company, this comes up constantly. Doing the “right thing” rather than the most profitable thing is a constant challenge and conversation among our senior leaders. But it can be very difficult (such as whether to lay off some staff in order to protect the jobs of the rest, and who to lay off).

The bottom line is that we serve, and are made in the image of, a God of justice. He demands it of us and equips us to administer it in all sorts of ways. Apathy is never going to be an acceptable answer (that is what Micah’s prophecy complains about), but we need to be constantly aware of injustice around us, getting involved through activism when it will make a difference, and taking action when we are in a position to do so. What if all Christians did this?