5 Things to know as a CHRISTIAN employee.

Hello Beautiful and welcome to yet another read from me. While I was tempted to share with you from my personal experience, I decided that I would share that of my former colleague which I had drafted for quite a while now.

At my former place of work, I had a colleague who was a “returnee.” I remember like yesterday, the day my other former colleagues were discussing about someone coming back to join us. Now I didn’t know this person but one thing I kept telling myself was that this person must have had a very very good relationship with the bosses to get this type of rare opportunity.

Well, long story short, this return colleague became my desk mate for the remaining years I worked there. And lest I forget, even though she was very much older than me, I was moved by her humility.

Now, some of us have been employees or are employees and while this post isn’t a rule, I hope you can learn one or two things as a christian employee and work on yourself to be that employee that your company would never want to lose.

1. THERE IS THE GOLDEN RULE. As an employee, ensure to work for your employer as though you have a share in it. Just as you would want your employees to behave in your own company, so also you should where you are currently serving as one. Let your attitude towards working for someone be what you can take from someone working for you.
   “So then, in everything treat others the same way you want them to treat you, for this is [the essence of] the Law and the [writings of the] Prophets.” (Matthew 7:12 AMP)

2. RESPECT OTHERS ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO LEAD. Respect they say is reciprocal. Oh yes, it sure is and much more, it doesn’t just come, you have to earn it. Age is but a number when you are within the workplace and as a christian, it speaks so much about you and your moral beliefs when your boss is younger and you have to take instructions from him/her. How about working with a disrespectful boss? Respecting your disrespectful boss as a christian employee gives such a boss many a times a “soul searching” message.
   “Whoever is a slave (employee) must make the best of it, giving respect to his master (employer) so that outsiders don’t blame God and our teaching for his behavior.” (1 Timothy 6:1 MSG)

3. HAVE A PRINCIPLE OF HONESTY. This comes after respect for a reason. Like in the case of my former colleague, she was away in another state where the company needed to supervise a project, and based on the trust she had built over the years, she was called to do it. Now a disrespectful employee most often than naught is not trusted to be honest in his/her dealings even if they are. So also we have respectful people who are dishonest. How is your behavior towards your work? Can you be seen as a honest employee? Can your employer or team lead trust you with delicate matters of their businesses? Do you do just like everybody does to avoid being the one they tag?
   “God cares about honesty in the workplace; your business is his business.” (Proverbs 16:11 MSG)
   “For all God’s words are right, and everything he does is worthy of our trust.” (Psalm 3:4 TLB)

4. GROW GREAT INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS. Now, relocation happened again and she came back to the state she left some years ago and despite the fact that the company wasn’t employing at the time, they had to make room for her. She came back and she was employed. For some other people, when they leave a place they light a fire to erase every trace of their existence there either through words or action, directly or indirectly. This shouldn’t be so. You never know when you will need help. As Christian employees, ensure that you maintain a great interpersonal relationship with every one at work – believers and unbelievers.
   “If someone mistreats you because you are a Christian, don’t curse him; pray that God will bless him. When others are happy, be happy with them. If they are sad, share their sorrow. Work happily together. Don’t try to act big. Don’t try to get into the good graces of important people, but enjoy the company of ordinary folks. And don’t think you know it all! Never pay back evil for evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honest clear through. Don’t quarrel with anyone. Be at peace with everyone, just as much as possible.” (Romans 12:14-18 TLB)
5. LEAVE THE “LEARNING DOORS” OPEN. Despite the fact that she was one of the staff the company employed at its inception, when she came back, she treated us who were younger with so much respect and was so humble. She didn’t build a wall of “I am older than you or I was here before you came” around her. Instead she left the door open. She was ready to learn. I remember her been on my neck to learn a particular software. As christian employees, do you feel you are above learning simply because the boss or team lead seems to be new or probably younger and obviously know much more than you? You see humility isn’t something anyone is born with, its a virtue, you covet and work daily towards maintaining. Be open to learn from other colleagues or leaders who are better than you.
   “He shows those who are humble how to do right, and he teaches them his ways.” (Psalm 25:9 NCV)
   “Pride leads only to shame; it is wise to be humble.” (Proverbs 11:2 NCV)

“Servants (employees), respectfully obey your earthly masters (employers) but always with an eye to obeying the real master, Christ. Don’t just do what you have to do to get by, but work heartily, as Christ’s servants doing what God wants you to do. And work with a smile on your face, always keeping in mind that no matter who happens to be giving the orders, you’re really serving God. Good work will get you good pay from the Master, regardless of whether you are slave (employee) or free (partner).” (Ephesians 6:5-8 MSG)

My sincere prayer is that as many who desire to become employers would grow to become one every employee wants to work with if Christ tarries, in Jesus Name. Amen!!!.