“ Be Perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Matthew 5:48
“Maybe you are too religious and judgmental” were the words that echoed from my then manager’s mouth as I voiced a critical work concern. Those words echoed for days as they kept repeatedly playing in my head. Of course, when I receive a criticism I begin to exam myself. I noticed I had never really sat down and informed my manager of how I believed in Jesus Christ. However, I would mention in passing, how I had a great time at church and spending time with my family over the weekend. I begin to think “well what else would make my manager say these words with such hostility over a work concern?”
The above scripture informs us to be perfect as our heavenly father is. When reading this scripture, I always thought “God, how can I be perfect, when you said that no one is perfect?” (Romans 3:23) What I was missing is that God is requiring us to have standards. Not just any standards. As believers of Jesus Christ, we must have Godly (divine) standards (which makes them perfect) and work daily to uphold those standards in our personal and spiritual lives. Yes, we have standards that we must uphold within a work environment. However, our Godly standards should never succumb to the world in which we live in.
Now as I look back on the statement my manager made I re-examined a few instances in which I upheld those Godly standards while interacting with my manager and peers. I remembered an instance in which I chose to respond to a frustrating moment without “losing my religion” and giving a few “choice” words because that’s what the “work culture” calls for, or willfully choosing not to participate in work place gossip and overlook mistreatment of someone because “I’m being told to do it” or to fit in with the “office politics.” As believers, we are striving for daily perfection. But that will only come through upholding Godly standards. So, what standards are you upholding as a believer in the workplace?