Recognizing religious sentiment in the workplace
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12)
Living according to rules and regulations and by one’s own human efforts is a trap laid by religious sentiment in the workplace into which we can all fall. Do you know the signs of religious sentiment when it is at work in the workplace? Religious sentiment discourages the real move of God and will thwart God’s activity under the banner of religious self-righteousness and dogma. It also encourages believers to live out their faith in legalistic and rigorous ways. We need to be aware of how this happens in the workplace. Here are some characteristics of how religious sentiment manifests in believers in workplace situations:
-Employees may have difficulty requesting and applying
God’s promises for everyday work encounters.
-Activists may believe that only Biblical truths apply
Their personal lives, families and churches, not their jobs.
-Workers may focus on promoting coworkers, but fail
To do your work with excellence.
-Workers can give more priority to religious works
Activity and events compared to relationships with others at work.
-Activists maintain “we” versus “they”
Attitudes Relating to Non-Christians in the Workplace.
-Employees may refuse to join a workplace prayer group
or Bible study because they think it’s trying to change it
The role of their local church. Workers see no need for this
Activity in the workplace.
-Workers feel the need to divide trust
The activities of their local church alone.
-Activists reject the idea that Christianity can do this
Transforming a workplace, city, or nation into something “overzealous”
“Na?way” or even wrong in principle.
Be careful of this when trying to encourage trust in your workplace. Remember, Stephen was the first martyr at the hands of religious leaders in the early church. You will find that your greatest resistance often comes from people in the religious community.
