Remember when major league baseball had doubleheaders on Sunday?
Anyway, here are my posts from yesterday for the Examiner.
Christians versus the corporate culture of contempt
Someone who knows how to conduct himself with honor.
One of the fundamental issues facing an evangelical Christian is how to comport themselves in the workplace. Certain elements are obvious. Primary among them is the need to be a witness by how you do your job and deal with the necessary interpersonal elements of different people coming together to meld their individual talents with the goal of creating a synergistic whole. Work hard, be honest, conduct yourself with honor. Granted, the more sarcastic among us comment on the applicability of Ephesians 6:5-8 when payday rolls around. But the basics remain the same.
Let’s look at the concept of conducting oneself with honor.
A recurring theme in Star Trek: The Next Generation and variations thereof whenever Klingons were involved was the individual living, and when called for dying, with honor regardless of how others and/or organizations went about their business. Yes, this is fiction (sorry, Trekkies), and the militaristic Klingon social order bears little resemblance to the average business environment even when the only item needed to complete the boss’ Napoleon complex is a tri-corner hat. This noted, there is a corollary to the assorted situations faced by Lieutenant Worf and a Christian in the workplace when said workplace defines ethical and moral behavior in entirely different terms than the Scriptural standards in regard to same.
In the corporate world there exists a malaise permeating a multitude of businesses large and small. It is a culture of contempt: contempt for the laws of God and man whenever they interfere with the pursuit of financial gain, contempt by management for staff for not creating wealth quicker and staff for management’s determination to treat them as chattel; serfs to be disposed of whenever the mood strikes. It is greed and pride come together to form a most unholy union.
It is an environment in which too many Christians are caught.
Just as a believer is called on to reject the mindset where men see woman as sexual playthings and women see men as providers not of love but rather social status and material wealth, so must a believer reject the aforementioned malaise of the culture of contempt by refusing to indulge in such practices regardless of how others in their place of employment, regardless of position, go about their affairs. This is not optional. It is woven throughout the tapestry of faith in Christ held on to in and in spite of a fallen world.
Such a determination to follow Christ first will bring about conflict. It is at best difficult to conduct oneself with honor when in the employ of a company without honor. When a company demands dishonorable conduct as standard operational procedure, with those refusing to participate facing discipline, demotion or termination, the economic reality of needing an income clashes with the obligation to follow Jesus regardless of personal cost. A difficult place in which to be, especially if you have a family for which to provide.
Courage never comes cheap. Quiet subservience and compromise are easily rationalized. Facing the evil is never easy when it’s you against seemingly the entire company. One can sing the “God will take care of me” song all day long. However, that doesn’t put food on the table, keep a roof over your head and keep your kids clothed. Certainly God does work directly in our lives, moving people and events in a synchronized fashion we could never hope to understand. He works through individuals and organizations we cannot imagine could ever be used by Him for the betterment of His followers. Yes, He does take care of us. Ofttimes, though, this entails our using the tools He places at our disposal. It’s up to us to not complain about God not miraculously curing our headache when there’s a bottle of aspirin in the medicine cabinet!
So how do we go about conducting ourselves with honor?
In a manner unobtrusive to the workflow, network with fellow believers in the workplace. Talk to each other, share with each other, pray for each other, watch out for each other. Do not make a go of it in isolation. Lone wolves cannot stand against a wolf pack.
Heed the words of Paul in Ephesians 4:26-27: “‘In your anger do not sin’: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” You will be tested. You will be asked to compromise. You will be attacked and accused. Shake it off. Don’t fight hellfire with hellfire. It’s not an option for a believer. Demonstrating it doesn’t bother you is an option. Seize it. Besides, it’s much more fun to drive your adversaries berserk by being nice to them.
Do your job well regardless of the maelstrom that is office politics and pettiness. Speak, write and act with calm accuracy. Be wise in always saving such materials as you may need in self-defense. Propose a better way when the wrong way is suggested; better not only in that it is right, but better in terms of viable profitability to your employer. Its primary concern is making money by any means necessary. So make some for it. With the right means and ways.
We who believe are anathema to the corporate mindset. Our values are different. Our goals are different. We have been called upon and commanded by Christ to conduct ourselves with honor, even when employed by a company without honor. Let us do so, supporting and caring for each other as we together face the challenge of living in a world where the love of money and its companion the worship of self is indeed the root of all evil.
May we always conduct ourselves with honor.
Of Christ and caffeine
Some things naturally go together.
The question occasionally arises as to why Christians, especially those of an evangeical bent, are so fond of coffee houses.
The answer is quite simple.
We like coffee.
Okay, slightly simplistic there. We like getting together with each other over coffee.
In Castro Valley, it was widely lamented when Pryfogle’s first moved to the location presently occupied by Trader Joe’s and then closed. It was in its original location a perfect combination of Christian bookstore and coffee shop, a place where one could simultaneously relax in comfortable surroundings with fellow believers and be refueled.
Let’s face it. It’s not like we’re going to be hanging out at bars. Even fern bars. If any still exist, that is. Still, we like to get together in a setting other than church. What better than a place conducive to conversation? What better to converse over than something demanding a certain amount of time to consume? And unless you’re pounding down java at the office trying to survive the day — you know, conducting yourself with honor — one is best advised to sip your coffee.
The regrettably out of business Pryfogle's.
Believers need time with each other when it’s not structured and formal and everyone is on their best behavior. In other words, not church. Church is good, church is great, church is vital in the life of a believer. But we don’t all go to the same church.
We do all follow the same Christ.
If we all spent more time together over a cup of coffee, so many things would improve. We could get to know each other better. We could talk out and work out the differences that often divide believers. We could strengthen the common bond between believers. We could spend more time laughing together, crying together, caring and sharing together.
More time celebrating Christ’s love together.
More time loving each other as fellow believers in Christ.
Now that would be a good thing.
Here’s hoping for another Pryfogle’s soon.
