In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:16

Mathew 4: 5:13-16

Recurrent Thought

Your workplace is an arena where you spend significant time of your life, and where you meet lots of people in desperate need of a deliverer. Be ready and available to connect them to Your Lord

Every Christ-devoted follower must be aware and duly follow the command of Jesus Christ that calls for us “. . .to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you (Math 28:19-20). The clarity and simplicity of the command of the Lord Jesus Christ  is obvious:  we win souls, and we disciple believers.

We manifest our usefulness to others through our everyday activities as we live here on the earth. Ordinarily, our day is split into three timeframes: 8hrs of sleep; 8hs of work/school and 8hrs of life activities. Christ-devoted followers take advantage of the two thirds of the active daily time to be effective both for themselves and for people around. In today’s message, we want to speak to how the Christ-devoted followers takes advantage of the work time to shine the light of the gospel to those within their social distance. 

Christ devoted followers, as the light of the world shine in two distinct ways. First, they shine through their good living. As a city on a hill, which is never hid, the light of a believer in Yahweh is always memorable and visible. Their lives are powerful generators of light. They so shine that they are never ignored; their light never overlooked. Sometimes they are admired, commended, studied and imitated; while at times  they are envied, hated, censured, shamed and persecuted. 

Second, Christ-devoted followers shine the light through their sharing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They are deliberate about, always seeking the time and opportunity to give the a testimony of what God has done for them

How do we then, within the confinement of the workplace, (marketplace, school, public square), be light to the world (5:14-16)?

Effective Christ-devoted followers are determined to leverage the time the Lord gives them in the earth. Time is a rare and high value commodity. No one in the world has the capacity to store it for future use. In this regard, effective witness of Christ know that to be useful to the world, one has to work within the confinement of time. Jesus stated clearly “We must work the works of him who sent us while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work (John 9:4).”  

Although we may not find exact representation of workplace realities in the scriptures to our modern times, the narratives Daniel and his exilic friends, accords us views of how work was conducted. From such we can surmise some ways we can be a light in our world.

Daniel the Statesman (Ch. 1-6)

• He and many others came as slaves into Babylon but he grew as a wise, excellent, and dependable leader in the administration of three Kingdoms. He was a statesman, a counselor to kings, and a prophet of God. Daniel worked within three kingdoms and served under five historical kings

Here are some Six Elements useful when Impacting Your Workplaces

1. Let People Know You are Follower of Christ (Daniel 1)
   • Don’t allow people to second guess you because of vagueness in your presentation 
   • Daniel with his Friends informed the Leaders of the College of their faith and how the Meat at the Dining hall punctured their consciousness for it was first regularly offered to Idols 
   • Don’t be a obnoxious about your faith, but represent Christ well. 
   • People in the administration of Nebuchadnezzar knew that Daniel was a believer in Yahweh.
   • Don’t exaggerate your convictions and your identity, neither should you hide your Faith.
   • As a follower of Christ, represent him well. Be a faithful 
2. Let Your Performance be Excellent (Daniel 1:20)
   • Daniel had an excellent Spirit in him. His performance was of high quality (Daniel 6:3, 10)
   • Chapter 1 shows that Daniel and his friends when examined they were ten times better (Daniel 1: 20) 
   • Their competencies distinguished them and brought them to the king’s notice.
   • Competences are the Skills, abilities, know-how, and expertise that you bring to the situation you are involved in. 
   • Performance in your vocation should reinforce you sharing of the gospel. Although it is not the content of your sharing, it should never undermine the sharing of the gospel.
   • Higher performer should be well rounded: Be also faithful, ethical and trustworthy. 
   • Be the person people admire and wished they could be like.
3. Let Your kindness and Love be demonstrated
   • Show genuine care for all kinds of people within your workplace. 
   • Deliberately invest in friendships with non-Christians. 
   • Notice people when they are going through the “Shadow of death” (Mathew 4: 16). Observe and show kindness to people living dangerously 
   • Many will ask the source of your kindness, then you will have a platform to share the Gospel.
4. Honor Your Workplace's Policies
   • Be a worker that has a strict adherence toe the policies and procedures of Your workplace
   • Be a great representative of the vocation. Be a great employee of all times
   • Don’t allow your laziness, lack of time keeping, undermine your witness 
   • Daniel and Friends were excellent administrators who honored policies. They only resisted the policies that elevated men or idols above Yahweh. 
5. Strategically and Intentionally Share the Gospel of Jesus 
   • Don’t leave the sharing of the gospel to chance: Plan, prepare and pray for it
   • Be ready by knowing the basic presentation of the gospel
   • Don’t allow yourself to be caught in endless arguments and debates
   • Opportunities will arise, let them find you ready! 
6. Let God, through Prayer be Your Source of Strength
   • Regularly pray for the people you work with. Pray for your clients.
   • Pray for impossible situations. Pray for solutions
   • Daniel was thrown in the things when the King wanted to Kill all magicians, wisemen for failing to tell him the nature of his dream and the interpretation thereof (Daniel 2: 16-19)
   • Signs and wonders happen in the environment of gospel sharing. Anticipate them

Altar Time

• As I am a light at my workplace, Lord, Let me Shine

Questions for Discussions

1. Why do we find it challenging to share the gospel with our work mates?
2. What causes leaders in workplaces ban the sharing of the gospel?
3. Give one other skill, or ability to have in order to share the Gospel at workplaces.
4. Give one thing that may spoil your likelihood of presenting the gospel.
5. Share an experience in which you shared the gospel in a work environment.