If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. (Matthew 5:46–48) There are situations in our workplace that are out of our control. We may have to work with bosses or clients who are difficult. We may work alongside people who don’t like us or coworkers with whom we’ve had conflicts. This passage reminds us of a Christian’s duty in the workplace. Don’t get the mistaken idea that Jesus intended us to grin and bear difficult situations. A lot of Christians succumb to that mentality as it relates to their circumstances, but then they hold grudges against the people involved. Those grudges affect how they see all customers, or all employees, or all bosses. They assume that all customers will take advantage of them, or all employees will not perform well, or all bosses will behave like jerks. Jesus didn’t call us to ignore conflicts. He called us to be agents of grace in difficult situations, so we can bring about change. With every person you meet, you can extend grace or you can hold a grudge. You cannot do both. MIMBS 5 Describe the most difficult situation you faced with people within the last week. Did your external 38 Wednesday—August 16•Grace or Grudge? and internal responses extend grace, or did they expose a grudge? Explain your answer. Daily Reading: Nehemiah 11:1–12:26, 1 Corinthians 10:14–33, Psalm 34:11–22, Proverbs 21:14–16 Thursday—August 17•Honest Communication in Business “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.” (Matthew 18:15) Businesses depend on customers, yet dealing with those customers can be difficult. Sometimes they hold a deal open indefinitely without actually committing to anything. Sometimes they refuse to pay. We can wrongly assume that Christian forbearance requires us to ignore those types of issues. In contrast, Scripture actually calls us to approach even those relationships with honest communication. I once had to call a customer who had been negotiating a deal with me for six months. I said, “We’ve been at this for a long time. I think it would be smart for both of us if we bring this to a conclusion, unless there is some compelling reason that I don’t know about.” I chose words that invited a legitimate response. Each situation requires a different action, but without honest communication, you won’t know how to proceed. At some point, every person in your life will irritate you. You must choose whether you will have the courage to live by grace, pursuing honest communication. If you choose instead to ignore difficult issues, you’ll have a hard time avoiding bitterness. MIMBS 5 Describe a “worst case scenario” for you, as far as an unresolved issue with a customer or client. Now write what you would say to introduce an honest discussion about that issue. Share your thoughts with another man. Daily Reading: Nehemiah 12:27–13:31, 1 Corinthians 11:1–16, Psalm 35:1–16, Proverbs 21:17–18
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