“Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.” 1 Peter 3:8-9 ESV
When ‘the workplace’ is mentioned, visuals of people in business suits often accompany these conversations.
However, the workplace is simply a place where work is done whether in an office, laboring outdoors or serving within the home. Every effort is work, and when believers work as unto the glory of the Lord rather than man (Colossians 3:23) we worship our Father in heaven.
In the same way Scripture reframes the idea of the ‘workplace’, Ford Taylor, founder of Transformational Leadership, reimagines the formal business connotation of the word ‘organization.’
“I consider an organization anywhere that two or more people are in interpersonal relationships and performing tasks,” Ford Taylor said.
Transformational Leadership is an organization that offers leadership coaching to companies and groups of all sizes and professions. TL’s goal is to see every person in every workplace activated as a leader to reach their fullest God-ordained potential in their work, home, community, and health.
What would it take to see every ‘workplace’ and ‘organization’ transformed?
First, we must recognize that the Lord has given each person a workplace to worship in and an organization to influence.
“Leadership is not a job or position, it a lifestyle of influence, and the first place we focus on our influence is God’s influence on us and our influence with ourselves,” Taylor said. “The other influences, to our peers, those below us and above us, are all affected by these two.”
This view on leadership requires a believer to be rooted in Christ, spending regular time studying scripture and surrendering to the work of the Holy Spirit. At times we will experience God as the vinedresser, pruning back things in our lives, and at other times the Lord will be our living water, fulfilling every need.
After rooting ourselves in the influence of God, we must examine our influence with ourselves in the journey to seeing transformation in every workplace.
“There is a gap between who we really are and who we represent ourselves to be,” Taylor said. “The bigger the gap, the more stress we have: the goal is to close the gap.”
In a culture that values pride in ourselves, personal independence, and prowess in winning an argument, Christlike humility, unity, and integrity is shocking to encounter and speaks a powerful testimony. Righteousness, like a reputation, isn’t built overnight.
“Our behavior should be consistent in all areas of life,” Taylor said. “The more balanced our life, not just between work and family, but in health and community as well, is where we find peace.”
This peace flows from God because He created each person to experience balance between the different workplaces and relationships in their lives. Living unbalanced is living outside of God’s design.
The final aspect of seeking transformation in every place of work is seeking godliness in the relationships that make up our organizations.
“Learn to give up the need to be right without losing passion for truth,” Taylor said.
This challenge opens questions we must invite the Holy Spirit to help answer: Where are we fighting to be right, and where are we fighting for righteousness? Where are we fighting to be right, and where are we fighting for the relationship?
Paul used the same challenge in 1 Peter 3, calling the church to “have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.”
Seeing every place of work transform to bring glory to our God starts with each believer surrendering fully to the call of Christ to faithfully labor in the fields He has appointed as our workplace.
To learn more about Ford Taylor, his books, Transformational Leadership courses and other leadership materials, visit their website https://transformlead.com/
Pray with me.
Lord, Your Holy Spirit transforms me as I continually realign my heart to submit to You. Your ways are righteous and redeeming and I want to walk in them. Reveal my shortcomings and fill me back up with the love and joy that flows from Your heart. Open my eyes to see the opportunities You give me to worship You in every work that I perform each day. Teach me to see my places of work as mission fields and give me boldness to enter these places with a Christlike spirit of humility, truthfulness and unity. In Jesus name, Amen.
Peace and blessings,
Amy Parks
Communications Coordinator