Closing the Gap Between Sunday & Monday

Last weekend I had to drive home after dark in a torrential rainstorm. Driving—even in good weather—makes me anxious, so that night I clinched the steering wheel extra tight, craned my neck and nervously navigated the multi-lane freeway into Dallas.  When I came to the place where the highway divides into east and west exits, blinding rain blanketed the windshield. I couldn't see the road—or the looming concrete wall just beyond the next curve.  As I tightened my grip in panic, my eyes caught a gleam of road reflectors that a highway maintenance crew had carefully placed to guide drivers along the perilous curve.

I immediately thanked God for the reflectors, and the people who made them and the workers installed in just the right places to lead me safely around the curve and finally home. I wondered if the road crew had any idea of the value of their work.  Although what they do saves lives and contributes to human flourishing—they probably did their work with little pay and even less thanks, unless someone praised them for doing a good job and reminded them that what they do brings God glory. All of us need to hear that—regularly, and without exception.

That scary experience prompted me to think about the countless people who perform thankless jobs that make my life easier—like the elevator repairman who saves me from climbing eleven flights of stairs to get to work, and the cell phone factory worker who helped produce a device that keeps me connected, and the coffee grower who provides beans for my tall blonde roast, and the sanitation worker who hauls off the trash and keeps my neighborhood clean and healthy, and the baggage handler who makes sure my suitcase and belongings get to my destination, 800 miles away, and, of course, the highway workers who saved my life by carefully placing those beautiful reflectors!

Although I can’t personally thank the thousands of people who make my life possible, I can thank God for them.  When I'm savoring my favorite mac and cheese at lunch, I can thank God for the wheat growers and dairy farmers, the line workers, shipping clerks and truck drivers, the stockers and cashiers and all the other people who own, manage and finance all the businesses God used to give me my daily bread.

Whose work are you thankful for today?

Is there someone you can personally thank who might be easily over looked?

The young woman’s face grew red, although considerable time had passed since the incident she was describing. She continued, 

I work at a law firm. I made a mistake and my boss yelled at me. I was humiliated. I went back to my desk, but it was two or three days before I could concentrate well enough to get any work done.

What should a boss do who becomes aware of offending an employee by excessive conduct in a dispute? An impulse might be to stand on one’s higher position in the chain of command, or to hunker down and let it blow over. Neither represents effective leadership.

Ideally, the boss and employee should have a private conversation and try to restore the working relationship as promptly as possible.  In a company that holds to Biblical principles, both boss and employee should feel free to initiate the conversation. Jesus said:

“. . . if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” Matthew 5, verses 23-24, italics added.

He made no exception for brothers (or sisters) higher in the chain of command.

On practical grounds also, the boss should welcome the opportunity to reconcile. Research has found that conflict has serious costs to businesses, among which are stress, frustration, anxiety, absenteeism and “presenteeism”(being physically present in the workplace but not working effectively). (A piece at http://www.conflictatwork.com/conflict/cost_e.cfm describes these and other common costs of conflict.)

Therefore, on ethical and practical grounds, companies are wise to encourage employees to resolve grievances promptly and not let them fester or boil over.
Some things a boss can do when personally involved in a workplace conflict,, include:

1. Bosses who know or learn that they have offended can speak privately with aggrieved co-workers, acknowledging their responsibility in the conflict, and asking to be forgiven for their excessive behavior.  Co-workers who feel offended can do the same. (This is especially important for Christian bosses and employees, according to Matthew 18, verse 15.)
2. By mutual agreement bosses and co-workers can involve other individuals whom they both trust to participate and facilitate communication.  In a complex situation this might be a professional mediator.
3. For thorny disagreements there can be arbitration.

Conflict is unavoidable. The boss who is proactive in resolving conflict will lead a stronger company and have better relationships with his or her fellow workers.

Image by ianmunroe. Used with permission. Sourced via Flickr.
 

Meet Tracy Thomas, Director of Strategic Partnerships at Bright Hope, wife of Tojy and mother to Soraya, Caleb and Zachary. Tracy has been a working woman since her teens – she paid for college working at carnivals every summer (as a “carnie” she likes to call it), selling fried vegetables for her best friend’s dad at the Indiana fair and festival circuit. With three small children, her life certainly hasn’t gotten any less hectic, but we snagged a half hour of her time this week to ask her about her calling to the workplace and how she deals with guilt about being a working mom.

4word: Society’s view on women in the workplace has changed considerably over the past few decades. We’ve gone from women only working as secretaries and telephone operators (a la Mad Men) to a time when women business leaders are celebrated at events like the Harvard Business School’s W50 Summit. Have you noticed similar changes in the church’s view of working women?

Tracy: Yes, absolutely. I think a large part of the change is due to the higher number of single moms who attend church. They have to work to support their families. For the average American churchgoer, working women are more common and more accepted. Traditionally men still want to provide enough for their families so their wives can administrate the home and care for the children. This is a large part of the picture we see in the Proverbs 31 woman, but what is so often not emphasized is the work she put her hands to. She was very successful in the marketplace! I think the church is beginning to understand this, and overall, is quite accepting of talented and ambitious Christian women who desire to pursue their careers and a family.

4word: Can you tell us when and how you first discerned a calling to be in the workplace?

Tracy: As a young child in grade school, I had big dreams to live in a big city and work at an influential job. My mom was at home with me through most of my childhood, so this was a drift from what was modeled for me. Once I entered the workplace I just knew God was giving me favor wherever I worked. I would often have non-Christians ask me, “How did you get that appointment?” or “Why is he so nice to you and not the rest of us?” It seemed my desires, which were God-given, and my success, also God-given, proved that I was where I was supposed to be.

4word: Many working mothers struggle with guilt, whether it’s about not being a good mother or not being devoted enough to their job. Is this something that you struggle with too? How, specifically?

Tracy: Yes, absolutely. For me it’s more specifically defeat – feeling like all of the roles I play are too much. As I’ve grown and learned the best ways to balance work, ministry and family, I’ve felt a burden for all women dealing with this issue. Then one day it hit me – when God calls women to work in the marketplace, for whatever reason, that is their calling. Just because a woman needs to go to work to provide for her family doesn’t negate that this is her God-given calling.

As Christian working moms, we can overcome that feeling of guilt knowing that God is taking care of our kids when we’re at the office, and that He’s strengthening our career when we need to pay extra attention to our kids. I’ve learned to take my cues from the Lord on this one. When I know I’m in tune with where He wants me to focus, the “guilt factor” lessens.

4word: Does knowing that God has called you to the workplace help you overcome a false sense of guilt? How so?

Tracy: I believe the word “guilt” could be replaced with “discontentment.” When I am discontent, I lack peace, so I ask myself, “What has stolen my peace and given me this sense of guilt?” I know God has added these blessings to my life, and when I begin to feel guilt or defeat, I call it out for what it is: discontentment challenging my peace.

I’m never going to be perfect. But knowing that God has given me these many things to manage, and that ultimately it is all His, gives me peace that I will do it right. But I have to look to Him. I have to start every single day in His Word, and talking to Him in prayer.

——————–

Have you ever felt guilty about your work?

© 2013 4wordwomen.org. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission. Originally posted here at 4wordwomen.org.

Your jaw may have dropped over the recent WSJ article “Wealth Over the Edge: Singapore.”   Only a few decades ago Singapore was a Third World country; today it enjoys First World status. And if economic growth rates continue, Singapore could very well become the world’s global economic center. 

Having visited this unique city twice, I can testify that it is not only beautiful, it ‘s also immaculate and quite safe. If you’re caught littering, you’ll be sentenced to a day of street cleaning.  Spit on the sidewalk and you’ll pay a hefty fine.  And they’re quite serious about crime in Singapore. Drug dealers face capital punishment.  

Kathy and I, along with LeTourneau University President Dr. Dale Lunsford and his wife Marsha, spent a week there, speaking at Hope Church Singapore and meeting with Christian business leaders. We learned that Singaporeans are even more serious about work than Americans.  They call themselves 9-to-9ers—not 9-to-5 workers. “Work is everything” is the national narrative, and success in Singapore is measured in Cs: by your cars, condos, clubs, credit cards and cash.

This commitment to hard work has, no doubt, played a huge role in Singapore’s extreme economic growth.  Yet recently Prime Minister Lee called on the nation to balance material goals with its ideals and values. “We are not impersonal, calculating robots, mindlessly pursuing economic growth and material wealth," he said.  The WSJ article observes, “The irony ... is that the very sources of Singapore's success may ultimately prove its undoing.” 

We met many Singaporeans who follow a different narrative. They understand that if you make anything other than God your priority, you’ll pay a price. Vibrant churches like Hope Church Singapore with a congregation of 5,000—mostly young people—and organizations like the Christian Medical Fellowship are helping Christians follow Christ in the workplace and in every area of life. I have spoken about workplace faith in many cities around the world, and I’ve found no more enthusiastic crowd than in Singapore. Over 400 men and women gave up two weekday evenings plus a Saturday afternoon to hear how they could bring Christ to their workplaces. Because of committed disciples such as these, the Christian population in Singapore is steadily growing.  More and more people are seeing the relevance of the Christian faith—not just on Sunday morning, but in every area of life.

The hope for Singapore—and America—is that Christians will help our nations re-narrate work. This hope depends on churches, such as Hope Church Singapore, making it a priority to help workplace Christians see their work from God’s perspective.

Telling God’s story about work is the business of the Center for Faith & Work at LeTourneau University. I hope you will join us.

What story are you telling about work?

Image by jo@net. Used with permission. Sourced via Flickr.