Dear Ambassadors,

As Ambassadors for Christ in the workplace, we look to Him as our example of what we are to say, what we are to do, and what we are to think. Philippians 2:3-9 starts off by reminding us to do nothing through selfish ambition or conceit. We are to look out for the interests of others in the same way we look out for our own interests. Verse 5 then says “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” This passage goes on to tell us that Christ became a man and “humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.”

 Scriptures in both the Old Testament and New Testament state that God gives grace to the humble and that our humbleness will be exalted. So how do we demonstrate humbleness day by day in the workplace where we often face criticism, disappointment in the actions and words of others, anger, jealousy, resentment, disagreement with the people we work for, gossip, unexpected changes that result in stress, and much more? We believe that we should speak up, defend ourselves, and point out the errors of others.

 This is a good question to ponder this week. Christ’s example tells us to honor others, serve one another, be gentle and patient, love one another, submit, bear with each other, give thanks, and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. These are only some of the ways we can humbleourselves. Is this easy? No. Will we be perfect in our humbleness? No. But we can start today to pray for strength to be humble in all the circumstances we face each day at work. Two inspirational books on humility are “humility: The Journey Toward Holiness” by Andrew Murray and “Humility: True Greatness” by C.J. Mahaney.  

 Jesus tells us in Matthew 11:29 (NIV), “Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart.” May we focus on showing a humble spirit to others this week.

 In Him,

Dr. Deb Gunderman, D.Min.
Workplace Chaplain

Dear Ambassadors,

I want to start this Weekly Word with one of my favorite verses. 1 Corinthians 10:31 (NKJV)says, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all for the glory of God.” As I write this, I am getting ready for surgery. This verse will be one that I will remember during my hospital stay.
 
My suggestion for you is to keep this verse in mind as well as you start this week of work.  Paul is reminding the believers in Corinth that any task in the Christian life should focus on glorifying God. God’s people were made by Him for this purpose (Isaiah 43:7). Therefore, we are to “walk” (conduct ourselves) in such a way that glorifies God. This can be done as we do any activity of the day such as eating a meal, sipping on the usual name brand coffee on the way to work, slowing down in the school zone, or completing the tasks assigned to you at work. We are to do our best in the workplace to glorify God (Colossians 3:22-24). So ask God every morning this week to show you how you can glorify Him in the workplace this day. It might be getting a project done ahead of schedule, changing your attitude about the work you do or a person you work with, helping a co-worker who is having family or health problems, providing exceptional service to customers, or whatever your work might be.
 
I will use this verse to direct my daily activities of recovering from surgery. My question will be “how can I glorify you today, God?”, as I go about the daily routine of being a patient in the hospital. I am sure there will be opportunities to praise and glorify God in the hospital setting. I hope you will find opportunities at work this week to praise and glorify God.
 
In Him,
 
Dr. Deb Gunderman, D.Min.
Workplace Chaplain

Dear Ambassadors,

Have I got your attention now? The lust I am going to talk about may not be quite what you think. Let’s start with 1 John 2:16 – “For all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father but is of the world.

A few weeks ago I had to go through a medical procedure that required me to be on a clear liquid diet for four days. This meant water, clear broth, clear gelatin, and other liquids without pulp. Each day got progressively harder to do. I was hungry! Every time I went out to run an errand, my eyes spotted every place to eat along the way. I imagined stopping and ordering something to eat. At times I even wanted to cheat on my diet and eat anything to deal with the hunger pains.

After making it through the four days without starving (I did lose a couple of pounds but I don’t recommend the diet), I was convicted on several fronts. First I saw the strength of the flesh. All I could think of and smell was food. I felt deprived and just knew I would collapse from lack of nourishment. What foolish thoughts but how quickly the flesh can pull us into thinking that we “need” to have food or alcohol or drugs or pornography or a new car or whatever it is in our lives that the flesh has control over. I realized how strong the flesh is and what a battle it can be to overcome the lusts of the flesh. The same is true about the lusts of the eyes or the pride of life. The temptations can be strong and the only one to help us through these fleshly lusts is the strength of Christ (Philippians 4:13, 1 Corinthians 10:13). Our faith in Him will overcome the world (1 John 5:4).

I called on the Lord and confessed my sins of lust and selfishness. What the Lord showed me was how I can glorify Him in this same situation in the future. This is a perfect situation to make it a time of fasting unto the Lord. I know I can make it through a fast like this and what a much better way this is to use this experience than to lust over the thing I truly did not need at that particular time. My thoughts of being deprived were so shallow when compared to those who are homeless and truly starving people. Who am I to complain?

I thank the Lord for this opportunity to see one of the ways I lust and the sinful consequences of this lust. I thank Him for making me more sensitive to others. I thank Him for showing me how to use a situation like this to glorify Him. I will be on a clear liquid diet again starting tomorrow prior to surgery. Thanks be to God that I will be praising His holy name this time. Maybe this is a good time for you to think about what worldly things grab your attention and ask God how you can glorify Him when faced with the lust of the flesh.  

In Him,
 
Dr. Deb Gunderman, D.Min.
Workplace Chaplain   

Dear Ambassadors,

For many of us in the workplace this will be a short week of work. It will be a time of gathering together with family and friends. I hope this will be a good holiday for you. I also know that it can be a stressful time of traveling, making plans, having people in your home, preparing meals, and the many other activities for a holiday like this. If you lost a loved one this year, it may be a bittersweet holiday, enjoying the loved ones who are with you but missing the one who is no longer here.

I like this holiday. I like the idea of taking time to give thanks. Circumstances at work or at home may present a challenge to us in giving thanks each day. Perhaps you are experiencing a strained relationship with someone at work or with a longtime friend. Family relationships often are strained at holidays because we may have to decide where to spend the day or how to divide up the day to meet family expectations. In the midst of adversity, it is hard to give thanks for the challenges we face.

How in the world are we supposed to be thankful or grateful when life is not easy and we feel as if we are always running into the wind? May I propose the one thing we can always be grateful for that in the end will be the saving grace in our lives? Jesus and what He did for us on the cross! We are reminded in the Word that our lives will not be easy. Jesus told his disciples in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” Jesus also talks about His peace in John 14:27. His peace is about having composure in difficult times, dissolving conflicts and fear, and maintaining harmony in us as His people. Since our lives are in Him, we are to remember this Word each time we face a trial or tribulation this week. In Himwe have peace. Take your thoughts captive (2 Corinthians 10:5) and rejoice in the Lord always with thanksgiving (Philippians 4:4), giving thanks in everything for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you (1 Thessalonians 5:18). In all things this week, give thanks for what Christ has done for you. What better reason is there to be grateful during this holiday? Happy Thanksgiving to you!

In Him,

Dr. Deb Gunderman, D.Min.
Workplace Chaplain

The workplace is a microcosm of how the world operates. Judging and being critical of others is a common way of the world. Even among people in the workplace who call themselves Christians we find the critical, judgmental spirit to be evident. Here is how it operates. A person is working together with others or in a meeting with a team. This person leaves the meeting for a particular reason. The critical spirit creeps into the conversation with others being critical of the person who left. Or a supervisor needs to give feedback on performance but chooses to be critical and judgmental in the feedback. Have you ever witnessed similar things in the workplace? Probably so. All of us at one time or another have struggled with words and behaviors that a godly person knows needs to be surrendered to Christ.

Matthew 7:1-3 tells us that we need to look at the log in our own eyes before being critical of the brother or sister who has the speck in his or her eye. “Do not judge and criticize and condemn others, so that you may not be judged and criticized and condemned yourselves. For just as you judge and criticize and condemn others, you will be judged and criticized and condemned, and in accordance with the measure you (use to) deal out to others, it will be dealt out again to you (AMP, verses 1-2).

As we read this, someone might be asking what is wrong with judgment or criticism if it is constructive and necessary to train or evaluate other’s work performance. We need to give others feedback on what they have done wrong in order to correct performance.

Yes, work performance needs to be evaluated and training offered to improve performance. However, ask yourselves how you do this? What is your manner or demeanor? It means taking a look at the log in our own eyes. It means asking how the judgment or criticism is given. It means asking the Holy Spirit to direct you in your words and actions so that you are treating others fairly, consistently, and with encouragement. Romans 2:1 reminds us that in judging others we are actually condemning ourselves because the things we find fault in others we are often guilty of ourselves.

Whether it is about being critical of others in the workplace or needing to give feedback about performance, ask God how you can glorify Him in the situation before you spread the gossip or give the necessary evaluation of performance. Each of us will be accountable to God for our actions. Knowing what He wants us to do and how to glorify Him is the first step in living out our relationships with others at work.

In Him,
 
Dr. Deb Gunderman, D.Min.
Workplace Chaplain

Dear Ambassadors,

I was reading a book by A.W. Tozer the other day and saw in the back of the book that a new book is coming out this month. It is a collection of writings from authors that have been inspired by Tozer. If you have not read anything by A.W. Tozer, one to start with is Attributes of God. I will warn you that his works are not “light” reading.

One of the authors in the new book called Inspired by Tozer is Gregg Matte. I decided to include this paragraph by him because it has to do with God’s will at work. Is this not a good description of how we are to be and do our work for Christ?  

“The best way to find the will of God is to do the will of God. Let me offer an example to bring this home…First, you walk with integrity in all your dealings at work and you walk with a generous heart. You offer grace and understanding to your co-workers and colleagues, knowing that human beings make mistakes and that we’re all in need of God’s grace. When you walk out your faith each day at work in a godly fashion, you will find that God will arrive before you do and show you the next step to take. Hard work and honesty are always in demand, regardless of the economy. Being the kind of employee that employers dream of puts usable material in the Lord’s hands…” (Lauren Barlow, General Editor, Inspired by Tozer, “To Find God’s Will, Do God’s Will”, Gregg Matte, November, 2011.)

As it says in Ephesians 6:6-7 (NKJV)we are to be “…bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with good will doing service as to the Lord and not to men.” Let this be a week of doing our work wholeheartedly to Christ knowing His desire for us to do all things in Him. May Gregg Matte’s description be one we can follow throughout the week.

In Him,
 
Dr. Deb Gunderman, D.Min.
Workplace Chaplain 

Dear Ambassadors,

Thursday was an early morning for me. I had agreed to be a guest co-host on a Christian morning radio show. I had a bite to eat before I went to the station. By the time the show was over, I thought I would stop at a coffee shop for some hot tea and a slice of pastry bread. I placed my order. When the tea came it was a larger size than I ordered. The tea turned out to be a different flavor than I ordered and the pastry bread was also different than I ordered. I didn’t get mad (thanks be to God) but it seemed odd that everything I received was not what I had ordered.

This is a simple example but I bet all of us have had a day, a week, or maybe even months of things not going as planned. It can be quite frustrating and I know in my case I can often feel angry and be critical of others.

The Word tells us that God looks at our hearts (1Samuel 16:7) and cares more about our response to circumstances than the circumstances themselves. A short look at The Book of Habakkuk in the Old Testament can shine light on what our response needs to be in similar circumstances. This was a difficult time in the history of God’s people. There was turmoil in the land and nations taking over nations. Habakkuk the Prophet argued with God about His judgments and what was happening to His people. There was violence and wickedness at the time. In Chapter 3, Habakkuk finally has a deeper understanding of God’s sovereign character and a stronger faith in Him. In verse 17, we see Habakkuk realizing that regardless of the circumstances of life that don’t go the way we plan (i.e., “though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vine…”) he will still rejoice in the Lord and experience “joy in the God of my salvation” (Habakkuk 3:18). He clearly saw that God is to be worshipped for His own sake, not just because of what He bestows on us.

We are to trust God and live by faith in the midst of afflictions and difficult circumstances. Both the writer of Hebrews and Paul in Romans and Galatians stress the need for believers to remain strong and faithful. Our faith is not a one-time thing but a continual way of life. Having been declared righteous, our life as a Christian is about faith in a sovereign God throughout all of life’s circumstances whether they are minor inconveniences or major hurdles. Let’s worship God throughout the week regardless (or because of) our circumstances.

In Him,
 
Dr. Deb Gunderman, D.Min.
Workplace Chaplain   

Ever been the recipient of hostility? Have you worked in a hostile environment? The dictionary describes hostility as a hostile state, condition, or attitude; enmity; unfriendliness; a hostile act; opposition or resistance to an idea, plan, project, etc. According to this definition, probably most of us have experienced some kind of hostility or hostile environment at one time or another. Or perhaps we have been hostile to others because of dislike for the person or the plan we were asked to implement.

 Hostility can be open or very subtle, even to the point of someone denying their hostile attitudes or actions, such as saying “I didn’t say that” or “I didn’t do anything wrong.” Yet the coldness and avoidance of hostility is in the air and cannot be denied.

 Hostility in the workplace makes for a difficult environment. We are dependent on each other to accomplish the projects and tasks. One person who is bitter or hostile can significantly interfere with the completion of the work or make the process so difficult that everyone is so glad when it is done. We swear we won’t work with that person on a project again. Supervisors and managers are faced with handling this situation. Many companies today even have personnel policies regarding hostility in the workplace.

 As Ambassadors of Christ our “old nature” has been transformed to the “new nature” of Christ. We are to put away all bitterness, wrath, anger, and loud speaking (yelling) “and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you” (Ephesians 4:31-32). Our new nature is a powerful resource in the workplace. How you respond to people and situations will often speak louder than words. We may not always know the reasons a person is hostile. It often is about their perceptions of being wrongly treated or believing they are not getting what they want either in the workplace or in their personal lives. Hopefully we can plant seeds with them about the gospel message, encourage them, listen to them, and pray for them. They, too, need the opportunity to know the transforming message of Christ.

May we be able to shine the light into the darkness of hostility at work this week.

In Him,

 Dr. Deb Gunderman, D.Min.
Workplace Chaplain 

God tells us in Isaiah 43:7 that everyone who is called by His name, He created for His glory. As people of God we are called to glorify God by the words, actions, deeds, and motives of our hearts as we live this life on earth. Sometimes it is hard to understand what this means. Paul made it quite easy for us to understand when he spoke to the church at Corinth. In 1 Corinthians 10:31, Paul stated, “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all for the glory of God.”

 As we start the work week, let’s keep this verse in mind. Paul is reminding the believers in Corinth that everything that a Christian does should glorify God. Therefore, we are to “walk” (conduct ourselves) in such a way that glorifies God day in and day out. This can be done as we do any activity of the day such as eating a meal, getting kids ready for school, sipping on the usual name brand coffee on the way to work, slowing down in the school zone, or completing the tasks assigned to you at work. We are to do our best in the workplace to glorify God (Colossians 3:22-24). Glorifying God also includes our thoughts, words, and emotions.

 So ask God every morning this week to show you how you can glorify Him in the workplace. It might be getting a project done ahead of schedule, changing your attitude about the work you are doing, helping a co-worker who is having personal or family problems, providing exceptional service to clients/customers, or speaking words of encouragement and praying for one another.   

 Enjoy glorifying God in your work this week as He tells you how He wants you to glorify Him each day.

 In Him,

 Dr. Deb Gunderman, D.Min.
Workplace Chaplain           

I grew up in a small town in the Midwest. The size of the town made it easy for others to see or know about what you were doing. As teenagers we found that if our behavior was not acceptable behavior, some adult would always let our parents know. As teenagers we did not like it but in retrospect it was a good safe guard for all concerned.
Then there were the “busybodies” in town who spent more of their time talking about others and gossiping than they did doing whatever work they had to do. It seemed as if they thrived on talking about others.

Most businesses are like small communities.  A lot of time gets spent on talking about others than getting the work done. There may be the true “busybody” in your place of business that Paul talks about in 2 Thessalonians 3:11. Paul describes the busybody as someone who has a “disorderly manner, not working at all.” In the Greek this is someone who is not engaged in productive activities but rather engaged in unproductive activities. This could disrupt or be a disruptive influence on the workplace around them.

Paul says we are to “command and exhort such through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread.”  In today’s language this can be to remind a “busybody” of the work that needs to be done so that they are truly earning their wages (daily bread). We also can stop the gossip that is a part of the character of a “busybody” by not engaging in their gossip and being an example of staying focused on our own work. A woman I know decided to stay out of the “gossip” pool at her workplace by telling anyone who came to her with “gossip” that she did not want to talk about it. It took several times of saying this before one “busybody” in her place of work stopped coming to her with gossip.

In verses 13-15 in 2 Thessalonians 3, Paul gives us as Ambassadors some other instructions for this type of situation. He tells us not to “grow weary in doing good.” Our efforts can seem fruitless at times but remember that we may be planting seeds that will blossom in the future. He encourages us not to see a busybody as an enemy but as a brother who we can continue to exhort, encourage, and warn as necessary from our personal desire for them to grow in Christ. Perhaps you will have an opportunity this week to plant a seed in the life of a workplace “busybody.”

In Him,

 Dr. Deb Gunderman, D.Min.
Workplace Chaplain