Surviving In The Secular Workplace
7 “Have the roots [of your being] firmly and deeply planted [in Him, fixed and founded in Him], being continually built up in Him, becoming increasingly more confirmed and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and abounding and overflowing in it with thanksgiving. 8 See to it that no one carries you off as spoil or makes you yourselves captive by his so-called philosophy and intellectualism and vain deceit (idle fancies and plain nonsense), following human tradition (men’s ideas of the material rather than the spiritual world), just crude notions following the rudimentary and elemental teachings of the universe and disregarding [the teachings of] Christ (the Messiah).” Colossians 2:7-8 Amplified Bible
For most of us, our lives as believers are lived out living in the world. The world more and more surrounds us in our jobs and even within our extended family. And we seem to become more of an oddity and that becomes increasingly true the deeper we go in our faith and our personal knowledge of Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
In this life, we are surrounded by unbelievers and their words and ways which can have an eroding effect on our faith and our daily walk if we not careful. We need to be strengthened daily in the Word. If we allow the mindset and the words of the word to affect us, it can have a negative effect on our ability to carry the message of Jesus through our lives, words, and our example. No matter what is said about you or to you always remember you are walking in the wisdom and favor of Jesus. You have His insights that will enable you to come through anything you might be faced with, no matter what the world throws at you.
Spend time daily to continue to develop those strong roots in the Word and in knowing Jesus. You will become deeply planted and fixed in the soil of Jesus and his Word. In verse 8 above it tells us not to get caught up in their language, their suggestions, their plans and their thoughts. Theirs is the thinking of the world and that is always sideways thinking. Theirs is the crooked path, yours is the straight path of Jesus. You will see those in the workplace make poor and even unethical decisions, but don’t worry and don’t get caught up in their decisions. You are insulated from the world in Him.
They will plan according to their own failed philosophies, forcing these doomed, failed and vain ideas upon you and the things you do. But do not be discouraged or dismayed. Do not fear that their foolishness will tarnish or taint what you do; because what you do you do for the glory of the Lord and in His power and favor.
Their ways, which seem inspired by them, are nothing but “crude notions”. Their thinking and direction are “rudimentary” compared to the insights and direction that you receive from the most creative mind in the universe. You are led and directed by that mind and can only find success as you place your trust in Him. Comparatively, you are in the Masters or Doctorate Program with the Holy Spirit and they are still in Elementary School. He is teaching you every day, what you should do and what you need to know, so there is no reason to fear.
J Todd Hostetler