Advice from a Christian Employee
The following was written by a friend of mine at Ford who wishes to remain anonymous. It was sent to administrators and others involved with the Ford Employees for Christ (FEFC) organization.
In regard to the recent FEFC Bulletin Board series on Christians in the Workplace and how Christians should be effective managers, I would add my agreement to the principles that the series discussed. I did not read all of them, but of the ones I did read, I would heartily recommend that everyone read them and work at applying the principles therein.
Romans 14:4, 10; Ephesians 6:9; Titus 2:9, and I Peter 2:18 are verses that speak to the employer and employee relationship and should spill over to our conduct in the workplace as Christian examples of the subjects of the Kingdom of God. In these questions that I have listed, it may come to mind some pertinent scripture verses that address these very problems. One of the things I have difficulty with is expecting others to adhere to the same standards that I have for myself. Am I guilty of expecting others to be as righteous as myself? Do I see myself as righteous? If I do, then I have a very serious problem....Do I treat other workers as I myself would like to be treated? Do I may judgments that are not mine to make? Do I have a tendency to "Lord" it over them? This ought not to be.... Am I trainable, am I able to be taught, can a brother reprimand me without me getting angry at him? Will I listen to reason, can I hear a brother rebuke me? Am I willing to admit that I am wrong and can I seek to change and correct my deficiencies? Am I humble enough to ask the Lord to work within me to root out those things that are not Christ-like?
I would list a number of things that the Bulletin Board articles covered, but perhaps not as direct as this. Namely I would ask myself the following questions concerning my behavior with my boss and those who I work with:
1. Do I work for the company and my boss to make them look "good" and do I work as if my boss were really my Lord? Or, do I look to disqualify them and promote myself above them? Do I look for ways to show my boss how poorly my co-worker is doing? Do I look for the most good of others, sometimes at my own expense or comfort?
2. Do I play games such as "PYA" (Protect myself, protect my own butt) or do I behave myself honorably and perform the work that I am assigned without begrudgingly or complaint? Do I promote myself above all others? At their expense?
3. Do I start to lose self control by getting angry or begin to get upset at what's happening or at what other people are doing? Do I rationalize by saying that I am more righteous than my boss or co-workers?
4. Do I keep grudges? Do I make mental (or otherwise) lists of offensives to bring up later when I need them? Do I forgive others of offensives even though they may deserve rebuke? Is my place to rebuke them?
5. Do I steal other's ideas and present them to my boss as my own?
6. Do I treat older co-workers as I would my father or older brother? Do I treat women as my very own sisters? Does it make a difference how I treat them if they are not believers? Am I guilty of preferential treatment because they are not acting within my personal standards? Are my preferences becoming their convictions? Are younger co-workers treated as if they were my own sons?
7. Am I trying too hard to convince them against their will that my standards and my beliefs are the right ones? Am I trying to win them over to the Lord at any cost (their cost that is..)? Do I condemn them or the sin? Is it my place to rebuke them? Do I lovingly try to do the best for them?
8. Am I showing an example of how the Lord would act in the workplace? Am I diligent in my own affairs or of others? Am I concerned with the performance of my co-workers? Am I acting like others work for me when they do not? Do I consider that I am responsible for their behavior as well as my own?
9. Am I always negative with no positive solutions? Am I always positive with no concept of reality?
10. Am I offensive to others? If they were given a poll on my performance and attitudes, how would I measure up? Am I too concerned about my own career? Do I have the advancement of other's careers ahead of my own? Do I strive to help others (co-workers) advance in their endeavors? Do I work to have my boss advance? Do I hide things from my boss or co-workers to make them look bad and for me to look good?
11. Do I consider others more worthy than myself? Do I recognize how sinful I can be? Do I say that except for the Grace of God, there I go (pointing to the chief of sinners)? Am I concerned about the sins my co-workers or my boss commit or do I watch myself circumspectly recognizing that I can fall also.
12. Do I speak civily with my Boss or co-workers? Or do I shun them? Do I avoid my boss? Do I not share with others?
13. Am I an ambassador for Christ or am I a hinderance? Do others have a high opinion of me or do they hate me? Am I obnoxious? Do others know what my standards are based upon? Do I strive to life by those principles? Do others know that I am hypocrite?
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