Being a Christian in the Working World
Kwek Mean Luck, Cambridge 1992-1995
Channel, Easter 2006
When I was in the CCCF, we had a number of post-graduates, who would share with us the difficulties of keeping the faith out in the working world. Imbibing from their experience, one of the things we consciously sought to do was to prepare ourselves for entering the workforce as Christians.
It has been many years since Cambridge, and the Lord continues to teach and to guide. These are some of the lessons I have learnt:
1. Cambridge is wonderful, but I must give other experiences a chance – When we came home, we missed Cambridge and the fellowship we had there terribly. For some, our experiences in Cambridge seemed like the peak of our Christian experience. We felt like we were now in the valley in the working world. It takes time, but we must move on. Clinging to what was wonderful does no good for the present. For those of you who have years in Cambridge still, continue to make the most of your years there, as I am sure you are, and store for yourself wonderful memories. When you leave, give the other experiences a chance.
2. I have graduated but I still need teachers and mentors – I learnt much from the many people around me, some of whom played particularly strong roles in my life as teachers and mentors of what it means to be a Christian in the working world. Some of them were not Christians, but they served as examples of how a Christian should be living. Some were Christians, who also gave me Christian perspective on different things and shared with me their experiences. Find teachers and mentors to guide you in different aspects of your walk with God.
3. Living out our faith – I recall a story told at a conference. A new and young pastor was asked a question about a passage in Romans on predestination during a sermon. He mulled through what answer he should give on a difficult and delicate subject and decided to reply along the following lines: ‘Well you know, there are four gospels before the book of Romans, read through them and put into practice what is said there. When you have done that, we will be ready to discuss the answer to your very pertinent question.’ To deepen our walk with God, at some point we need to move beyond knowledge and start living out our faith.
4. Small things count – There is a saying that talks about how we need to be careful of our thoughts, for they turn into actions, then into habits and then becomes part of our character. It is trite but true. A constant struggle for us is how we are to maintain integrity of our Christian beliefs and faith throughout all seven days of the week. It is easier whilst in church on the weekends, but what are we supposed to do as Christians during Mondays to Fridays when we are working? We each need to find the answer ourselves, but it helps to start with the small things: how we react to a piece of work, how we treat people who serve or work for us at work, how we relate to our bosses, how we react when under pressure or criticism. It is not easy to be a Christian in the workplace, but it is easier if we start by practising a few small things, and build from there. Small things count.
5. He will never let you fall – Most importantly, know that He will never let you fall. I have gone through valleys in my walk with Him. There were times when I felt I was in the desert. Yet, He is also the one who said that He will bring streams to the desert and I have seen Him do so. I used to wonder if I am any less a Christian today than I was in university, since I feel less palpable passion in my heart. Yet, I am heartened that over time, he has replaced that passion with a calmer and stronger fire that has withstood the blowing winds. I do not know about tomorrow, but I know He walks with me. So too will He with you.