"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."
Galatians 2: 20 NKJV
It's been said that a person will spend a good amount of their lifetime away from home and at work. Like it or not, if you are a working person, then you will spend most of your time either at your job or worrying about your job. Of course, over time this leads to various conflicts with our employers and those we work with. Some years ago I worked in a busy bus yard cleaning buses each night. It was rough, but the money was good. One of the best pieces of advice I got from someone who had been there longer than me was that there was a lot of people in the yard at one time, so I wouldn't get along with them all. And I didn't. I would give this same advice to anyone in the workplace, you're not going to get along with everyone. No matter how difficult we try to be that nice guy, that religious guy or that guy who has no feelings, we won't get along with everyone. Trust me, I've tried over the years. I've seen my share of people who would go out of their way to make someone miserable. Of course, I also noticed that it was these very people who were themselves miserable. Coincidence? There have been those times when I have felt inferior and low and have felt like making others feel the same way I did. I get it. But at the risk of digging up another Christian cliche, is this what Jesus would do? For over time I've also come to realize that many of the conflicts we have in the workplace can come down to one issue...how we feel about ourselves. It's no secret that if we feel sad or hurt or angry, that this also affects our own behavior. When our behavior is affected, we may treat those around us wrong. When that happens, conflicts arise. Coincidence? So, how is it that we can go through each day knowing in our hearts that we are good people? How is it that we can start seeing those around us as the same good people? Well, I will tell you that it all begins with Jesus. That's right, Jesus is the center of how we see ourselves AND those around us. If you've always thought that Jesus simply was there to save us from our sins, then you're in for a important discovery in your faith. Yes, Jesus did save you from your sins, but He is also a intimate part of your life.
"That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me."
John 17: 21 NKJV
We cannot even begin to understand the intimate relationship we share with Christ until we understand the truth of who He is. Is Jesus our Savior who died for our sins and after that ascended into heaven to be with the Father? Yes, but this is only part of the truth of Jesus. The apostle Paul speaks to the relationship we share with Jesus in Galatians. It is Paul who speaks to Christ living in us {Galatians 2:20}. If we understand the truth of Christ in us, then we also must understand that it is Jesus Himself who shares in every aspect of our life. Yes, including our work life. If we understand the truth of Christ Jesus, we began to see ourselves differently as well. For if Jesus lives in us, then we are definitely not the person which we fear others see us as. Of course, knowing the truth of Jesus also means that those we work with are definitely not the same people you might have thought they were either. As Christians, we do not hold a monopoly on who it is that Jesus lives in. The truth is, the Spirit of Jesus is in us all, there are those who simply choose not to recognize it. The prayer of Jesus in the garden in John 17 gives us a glimpse into how Jesus Himself desires we see ourselves. That we "All may be one" {John 17:21}. As Jesus and the Father are one, so are we one with them. This is something I've only come to realize over time. The world will continue to try to spread the lie of the deceiver that we are not important to the Lord. That we are but sinners. Yet the truth of Christ Jesus assures us that it is He who now lives in us.
By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.
1 John 4: 13 NKJV
~Scott~
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