In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths. -Proverbs 3:6

In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths. -Proverbs 3:6

Every Christian is called to full-time service to God. The places where we serve will look different, but the principles that guide us are absolute, eternal and practical. Even in places where God isn't always welcome. Here are but a few ways for you to consider the influence your faith is having on your work, and the people who surround you there.

* Why did I pick this job? Did I consider God in the course of picking this job?
* Does the product or service I produce in my job offer value to the culture that's consistent with God's moral principles?
* Does the way I provide those products or services offer value to the culture that's consistent with God's moral principles?
* Is the marketing of those products and services consistent with God's moral principles?
* Does my management of the budget areas I'm responsible for reflect principles of stewardship?
* Am I making decisions that reflect concern for the long-term well-being of the investors, owners, customers, and employees where I serve?
* Are the workers, coworkers and customers I'm responsible for being treated with dignity?
* Are the workers, coworkers and customers I'm responsible for being treated with equity?
* Are the workers, coworkers and customers I'm responsible for being treated with justice, and where possible, with mercy?
* Am I resolving conflict at work in ways that honor God?
* Am I differentiating between mistakes (the natural result of trial and error/research and development processes) and negligence (the unnatural result of not being diligent in our labors)?
* Do I refrain from criticizing customers, coworkers and employees to others? (Gossip)
* Do I exhibit forgiveness?
* Are the expectations of my job enabling me to meet the other requirements God gives me in life?
* Do my expectations of my workers enable them to meet the other requirements God gives them?
* Do my memorandums, reports, conversations, discussions and other communications reflect a commitment to honesty always?
* Do I withhold information that might be useful to others in my company because it gives them an advantage in promotion or influence?
* Do my natural conversations at work reflect the nature and depth of my relationship with Jesus Christ, and to God?
* Do I refrain from retaliation, and from seeking revenge against customers, coworkers and competitors?
* Do I know my coworkers well enough to describe my faith in terms they can understand when the opportunity presents itself?
* Am I willing to sacrifice gain in my own career if it produces an outcome that serves others in my work culture more effectively?
Scripture is full of practical instruction for living in the world God created. In fact, the Bible is not merely a guide to spiritual life, but to every part of our lives, especially work. The less we know of the Bible, the less equipped we are to be stewards of God's economy; the less wisely we use the assets He entrusts to us; and the less wisely we care for the people He places near us. The joy of the journey is realizing God speaks to each of us through His word, turning timeless principles into timely insights for our marketplace moments.