Taking It to Work:
I don’t know if this is Christ-like, but I love this guy, Mark Rober on YouTube. He puts packages on people’s porches as bait for these crooked thieves, known as Porch Pirates, who routinely steal other people’s packages from outside their homes. Mark very professionally and ingeniously puts mechanisms in the package that once the package is stolen and starts to be opened, it lights up, a siren goes off, and it sprays gobs of glitter and stink spray in all directions. He even puts cameras in the package to take and broadcast videos of the thief’s entertaining reaction to surprise contents. Generally, they open it in the vehicle they are escaping with, but then quickly pitch it out their car window, where a built-in GPS allows the ingenious contraption to be tracked down, refurbished, and used again on the next unsuspecting low-life.
I love it, probably a little too much!
Why do I share this? In the workplace as an employer and employee, I have learned over the years, that there are many people who are not who they appear to be. They look honest and trustworthy on the outside, but given time and enough opportunity, you can find out that there is something much different under the wrapper, far worse than glitter and stink spray.
When we become children of God, we are given the Holy Spirit to dwell within us. We read in scripture about the many gifts that can come when we receive the Holy Spirit. One of those gifts I have found has been indispensable in the workplace, the gift of Discernment. Its full name is the Gift of Discerning Spirits. Now that may sound like something that would be restricted to only a church environment, but nothing could be farther from the truth.
Everyday, as employees, managers, leaders or business owners, we work with, meet and hire people we do not know very well. Some of those people we need to assign responsibilities and positions that may be critical for getting the job done, growing the company, or leading and growing others. These roles demand honesty, integrity, and a level of trust that is paramount to a successful team or company, but again, many go to strangers who might interview well, but you really don’t know what’s in the box.
Pray at work for the gift of discernment to be active and alive. If there is a spirit of dishonesty in that applicant, insincerity in that new client, or a chance that new team member will not live up to high morals needed to do his or her part, ask the Lord to reveal it early in the game. It may save you cleaning up some glitter, as His Word and gifts, work in you, today.
Ps 41:9 (ESV) – Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.
1 Cor 12:4 (ESV) – Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;
Matt 7:15 (ESV) – Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
Gal 2:4 (ESV) – But it was because of the false brethren secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage.
Listening to the Holy Spirit (Rhema):
There are those with whom you can trust, but there are those in whom you give trust, but they are not worthy of it. Discern carefully in My Spirit with whom you break bread. Not all who claim to know My Name obey My voice. You are entrusted with information, and rumor displeases Me. Walk closely in My counsel, carefully choosing with whom you speak. Great destruction comes with loose talk, diligent work is replaced with chatter, and the one trusted through first appearance can be he who turns against. Seek first My counsel. Lead carefully those who work with you. Capture your words and thoughts (in obedience) to My Name first, and speak as I guide. The loose tongue is a wellspring of trouble.
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