Entrepreneur: The call to be witnesses in all we do

The call to be witnesses in all we do

By WorkLife Success |www.biblicalleadership.com | image credit: istock

In Matt. 5:13 Jesus says,

“You are the salt of the earth” and in Matt. 5:14 he says, “You are the light of the world.”

It is vitally important that we grasp what Jesus is saying here: we ourselves are the salt; we ourselves are the light. The salt and light are not primarily the words we say, or the evangelistic events we organize, or the testimony that we give. We are the salt, we are the light! Once again, this is something that involves the whole of our lives.

Robert Murray M’Cheyne said this to pastors, but it is relevant to all of us, “Covet universal holiness of life. Your whole usefulness depends on this, for your sermons last but an hour or two; your life preaches all week.” Did you know that you are not only a minister, you are a preacher! Your life preaches all week. What message are you preaching? We may not all be called to be evangelists. We may not all have the gift of evangelism. But we are all called to be witnesses, and as you live, you witness!

It is interesting that there are so few instructions in the NT about evangelism or about how to witness. There are no “evangelism in 3 easy steps” instructions. The assumption of the NT is that if you live for Christ, you will witness for Christ. If you live as a Christian, your witness will overflow from your life. This is really what Peter is saying in 1 Pet. 3:15 – “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope that you have.”

The assumption here is that you are living the Christian life and the hope of the Christian life is shining out! For Christians who work, this is a vitally important issue. It is vitally important because of the potential that there is in workplace witness. At work, you don’t have to go knocking on doors to find non-Christians. You don’t have to find common ground upon which to build a relationship, because work establishes common ground.

Think of yourself as being strategically placed by God, and think of all the Christians all over the country as being strategically placed by God. A vast army which has infiltrated enemy territory. And if all these Christians were to shine as lights, and savor as salt, think of the difference that would make. In NT times, it was very rare for Christians to be found in the top jobs – the majority of Christians were women and slaves. But now that is not the case.

Christians can be found in virtually every profession and industry – from cleaner to chief executive. There is a vast army out there! There is great potential, but there is also great challenge. Whether you know it or not and whether you like it or not, if you are a Christian at work you are a witness at work.

Witness is not primarily something you do. Primarily, it is something we are. You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world. The light can shine and salt can savor in all kinds of ways through Christians in the workplace: in how they deal with difficult clients or co-workers, in how they deal with failure, in their attitude to money, promotion and success, in their concern for junior members of staff, in how they deal with really tedious work, in the interest they show in people’s lives, and in their willingness to put themselves out for others.

If Christians are serious about workplace witness, the Holy Spirit will give opportunity to share the reason for the hope that is within! You might not be a pastor, you might not be a missionary, you might not be in so-called full-time Christian service, but God has called each of us to glorify Him in all that we do, to serve Him in all that we do, and to witness to His love and grace in Christ Jesus.