A deafening silence - 26 November 2009 |
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Christians often find it difficult to deal with the ungodliness of office banter in the secular workplace. How are we supposed to react when we hear unbelieving colleagues gossipping about each other, or when we discover that someone’s been sniping at us behind our back?
Sometimes it can be helpful to sit down and talk about it. Indeed, this is often the Christian’s first instinct – to try to do in the secular world what we are plainly instructed to do when disagreements arise within the church (cf. Matthew 18:15ff; Philippians 4:2ff).
However, don’t be surprised if this doesn’t work. Tragically, the same sinful blindness that provokes gossip and backbiting in the non-Christian world also prevents unbelievers seeing the folly of it. Any attempt by a Christian to discuss the issue rationally will probably just add fuel to the fire.
But there’s still something you can do. Listen to what Peter says to Christians surrounded by an oppressive, ungodly pagan culture:
11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. 13 Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. 15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. (1 Peter 2:11-15)
Godliness speaks louder than words.
Posted by Steve Jeffery · Topics: Godliness, Minister's Blog