Do you believe God has no plan for your life? Is it because of your background or how you were raised? Why did God allow His Son to be raised by a blue collar working family as a carpenter for His first 30 years? Why were all of His Apostles from working families rather than from religious families or Jewish Rabbis? Does God like to take individuals from insignificant families, like King David and make them special leaders?

Your family, your background does not determine what God has planned for you. In our book, “God and the Bottom Line” leaving room for faith at work; God has a plan for each one of us and that includes whatever work or career we may have. Our work requires our very best as an example of being a Christian. How we work and our attitude tells others about what we believe. Do others see us obeying the Commandments of God to love Him with all of our might and others as ourselves? How we treat others is vital to worshipping God at work.

Proverbs 3:5&6 – “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight,”

We are not to lean on our own understanding. We are to daily read and study the Bible so we know what God wants us to believe. The more we study the Bible the more guidance we receive from the Holy Spirit. John 16:13 – “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.”
As Christians we are expected to be different from those who live by the world’s rules. We are told by Scripture to be conscientious and loyal, and we are to be positive and encouraging servants. We are to do our best by being dependable and considerate of others. Employers and other employees can easily tell the difference between an excellent employee and a so-so employee. Guess who in most situations get the raises and promotions and set examples for others?

We should never be intimidated by our supervisors or bosses. As Christians the only one we are to fear is God. By not showing respect for those in authority and slacking off in doing our job, we must be afraid of displeasing God.

The apostle Paul says we are to do our best not only when we are being watched but to remember that God is watching us through the Holy Spirit that is within us. We are not to waste time conducting personal business when we should be working. We should not extend our break periods. We should always arrive early for work and not leave until our time is up.

It is not unusual to work for someone who rarely gives due recognition or added rewards or praise; however, Scripture promises that many of our rewards will be waiting for us in heaven. So be patient; we are continually storing up treasures for eternity.

Paul instructs us as supervisors or leaders that God is not impressed with a person’s position but what we do in that position. Don’t you think God is aware when we abuse our leadership role or cause injustice to be done? God always knows what is going on. The day will come when He will settle up all accounts. God will have the last word!

When I became a Christian and a new person in the Lord, my entire life was changed. God wanted me to hear His message and put it to use. What a surprise I received when those in authority saw the new me. I was treated differently and better. Once I was promoted and became an employer and leader, I could tell who was working for a paycheck, who was a team member, and who followed the same advice I had been given. They were the ones I gave the extra raises and the promotions.

Do you want to improve your chances for success in the workplace? Make God your supervisor and then do whatever you can to please Him through your work and your attitude toward authority and others. God’s promises never fail for those who put into practice what He asks!

It is possible that as many people become converted because of the witness of a co-worker. Have you ever thought that God provided a job for you that you could witness to others? If you are doing your best, treating everyone kindly and doing whatever to help others, do you think they may want what you have? Everyone we come in contact with on the job could be a person put there by God for us to witness to? I am not talking about high pressure salesmanship. If we are to witness, God will open the door and the Holy Spirit will nudge us to respond.

I found that they will ask a question requiring a Scriptural answer. That is God opening the door. Then the Holy Spirit will give me information to respond. But I emphasize, I have to realize that it is God’s plan for my life that I am placed on the job to witness to people. But do not try to witness to a co-worker that God has not opened the door to. Once you have the opportunity to witness then invite them to church. I believe this is God’s plan that ordinary Christians have a mission to share with others.