After a promotion, Quentin found himself in charge of an entire department, overseeing a large budget and more than thirty people. He took this good fortune personally and regularly communicated his esteemed place in the organization. He began talking pridefully all the time about “my team.” It rubbed people the wrong way because Quentin was erroneously communicating his personal ownership, ...
Bonus Distraction
I was caught off guard the first time I received a financial bonus at my first “real” job. I had never worked for an employer that paid bonuses, so I was surprised to receive a letter from the company president describing a one-time payment in my next paycheck. The amount was small, but the appearance of that extra, unexpected money ...
Memorial Day Beginnings
For many, I suspect Memorial Day suggests a recognition of the fallen soldiers from World War I, World War II, or Vietnam. But you might be surprised to learn that Memorial Day initially began after the Civil War. From 1865 to 1868, multiple cities hosted ceremonies recognizing the soldiers who fought and lost their lives in the Civil War. ...
Christians Who Disappoint
Recently, Kathy and I hired a company to do some work on our home. We interviewed multiple Christian led companies and chose the one who had the best reviews and who we thought was most likely to adhere to God’s standards. Unfortunately, we were disappointed in the outcome. We tend to hope that if Christians are working for the Lord ...
What’s Missing
In his book, “King’s Cross,” Tim Keller describes the rich young ruler asking Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life (Mark 10:17). Keller notes that the man has accomplished much in his life but recognizes that something is still lacking. It’s the same today. We can use our work to pursue all kinds of earthly rewards – money, ...
Laugh More
I think laughter can be a powerful spiritual tool. In my book about work and faith, I opine that it’s foolish for Christians to get too serious about work in this world when our destiny resides in another. So, see the humor in our work challenges and laugh. Scripture cites many examples of joy as an expression of our relationship ...
Fresh Start
With hindsight, I can remember thousands of times when I acted selfishly or without integrity when dealing with coworkers. When I caught myself in those times, it was easy to pull back, feel like a failure, and stop trying. Yet God doesn’t define us by our failures. He is a God of compassion and restoration, as Moses told the Israelites ...
Launching Employee Affinity Groups
According to one La Croix International article, Michael Roberts remembers a gay colleague saying to him, “It’s surprising that I can be openly gay at work, while you feel like you have to hide your Christian faith.” Soon after, Michael started Faithforce, a Salesforce employee network of diverse religious backgrounds. Faithforce is part of a growing trend of faith-based employee ...
The Reason We Pay Taxes
Years ago, I wrote monthly articles for a Christian business magazine. For one April issue, I did not have peace about submitting an article. When the April issue arrived, I realized that God had protected me. I was shocked that most of the magazine made weak arguments for not paying taxes to the Federal government. In Romans 13:2, the Apostle ...
Leadership Lessons from Exodus: Thank God
It can be so easy to bounce from one urgent task to another at work. But the book of Exodus illustrates the value of thanking God in the midst of our day. Immediately after safely escaping from the Egyptians through the opening of the Red Sea, Moses and the Israelites begin a song of praise for God and his ...
