Christians in the marketplace often face the challenge of living out their faith in a corrupt system. Sometimes, it is the conflicting allegiances to work and family, not knowing how best to divide attention between the two. Other times, it is outright mistreatment at the hands of a corrupt police officer or county official demanding a bribe, all against the backdrop of a declining economy.
How do we boldly commit to authentic Christian living in such a society?
Fan All Your Gifts into Flame
In 2 Timothy 1:6, Paul asks Timothy to fan into flame the gift of God in him. Timothy’s God-given gift was intended to serve the church at Ephesus. Paul further tells Timothy to study to show himself approved, a workman who is not ashamed (2 Timothy 2:15). Even in the Kingdom of God, opportunities favor the prepared.
While the above text primarily addresses gospel workers, it offers valuable insights that apply to our day-to-day lives. In a struggling economy, Christians need multiple income-generating activities. We all have multiple areas of gifting, and our generation enjoys the blessing of many platforms through which one can develop their gifts. We have numerous paid and free online learning opportunities, which we can use to fan into flame the gifts God has bestowed on us. Ecclesiastes 11:1 calls us to cast our bread on many waters, where, even after many days, we shall still find it. The encouragement is to invest ourselves and even our resources in various ventures. Failing to do so would be like putting all your eggs in one basket and taking more risk than the benefits justify.
Values to Uphold
While navigating the marketplace, we face numerous moments of decision and action. Our daily interactions with our colleagues, clients, and even our bosses can be a clear illustration of our faith in Christ or lack thereof. As Christians, God expects us to make Bible-centered decisions, even as the word of God continues to illuminate our path (Psalm 119:105). The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn shining ever brighter to the full light of the day (Proverbs 4:18-19). The question we must always ask is: What does the word of God instruct regarding my present situation? There are times when one may struggle to find Scripture’s position on a matter, either due to limited knowledge of the word of God or because there seems to be no direct answer. In such cases, one may need to draw on broader biblical principles. Of great benefit, also, is the counsel that could be sought from godly brethren.
Suffering or Compromise
There are moments when we have to make peace with suffering or risk compromising our faith. Opportunities to compromise our integrity abound. Some people prefer not to share about their faith for fear of failing to live up to it in the face of adversity. Paul tells Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:8 not to be ashamed of the gospel. He calls Timothy to join him in suffering for the sake of the gospel. It is encouraging to note that many have gone before us who chose to endure suffering rather than compromise. We can either join such heroes of faith or compromise and be forgotten from the face of the earth. Daniel and his companions faced the same challenge: choose to honor God with their lives or give in to the pressures of their new society. By faith, they chose the former. And so did Moses, who saw it better to suffer along with God’s people rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a little while (Hebrews 11:23-25).
Convert the Marketplace to a Mission Field
It is one thing to complain about how the marketplace is full of ungodly people, and quite another to see it as our mission field. Christ calls all who believe to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19-20). He expects our mission field to be hostile to the saints. However, he encourages us to cheer up because he has overcome the world on our behalf (John 16:33). When our Lord called Paul to his apostleship, he anticipated opposition and was promised protection (Acts 28:16-18).
When we stay focused on our main purpose, we can endure hardship. Our primary focus should be to spread the gospel. We are saved by grace, and of this saving grace we ought to speak to all men. The marketplace is a mission field, affording us the opportunity to point others to Christ as we reflect the kingdom values. As Christians, we must reflect the standards of the kingdom to which we belong in the workplace, thus glorifying God in whatever we do (1 Corinthians 10:31). When people see our good deeds, they will be more easily drawn to the faith and praise our God (Matthew 5:14-16).
Insights into Sharing your Faith
Sometimes one wonders where to start when seeking to share their faith with others. Despite being in the same organization for a long time, you’ve never once brought up a spiritual conversation. You fear the awkwardness of suddenly sharing the truth of God’s word after a long period of silence.
Here are a couple of approaches that could greatly help you introduce Christ in your sphere of influence.
- Pray with others (James 5:16): There are always opportunities to pray with people. Create a habit of asking people what you can pray for them about. Rarely do people meet genuinely caring people. As we pray for them, it opens doors for us to share the gospel with them.
- Take keen notice of openings for the gospel (Acts 17:23): Do look for natural openings that you can use to share the good news of our Lord Jesus Christ. Paul saw an opportunity in Athens when he came across an altar dedicated to the unknown god and used it to introduce the Athenians to the unknown God.
- Build intentional relationships: Friendship evangelism is particularly effective when someone has witnessed your close walk with God and how it influences your daily decisions and actions. Do not isolate yourself from your colleagues. Instead, build intentional relationships that will eventually open doors for gospel sharing.
As we acknowledge that navigating the marketplace as a Christian is fraught with many challenges, let us be reminded that, though we are in the world, we do not belong to the world (John 17:13-14). Therefore, our call is to represent Christ in all ways we can and bring glory to him.