Today’s PK guest writer is Graham Walshe the Executive Chairman of Brother International (NZ), leadership business speaker and former PK Board Member. He brings this encouraging message about connecting with others and sharing God’s love.
Our faith must be a seven day a week 24 hour a day faith - which means it’s not all about what we do at church but what we take out the door into our world.
I was talking to a guy at a Promise Keepers conference when one of his workmates came up. They were both surprised that they were Christians and had worked together for four years without knowing it! They were “undercover agents” in the company and silent in their faith, worried what people may say if they knew. Closet Christians.
At times the greatest hindrance to my talking to people about Christ, especially my close work colleagues and neighbours, has been my fear that my behaviour would not reflect what I was talking about, nor display the unconditional love of Jesus, and His commandment for me to love all those around me. I said “at times” because I have to be careful at work not to use my position as Chairman of the Board to force people to listen to my message about Jesus and bring undue pressure on my staff, because that can be a form of spiritual abuse.
What has more integrity is to pray for them every week without fail, and place them in the hands of Jesus, who loves them more than I could ever do, and do my best to have a consistent, loving disposition.
In a way it is easy for me to talk about Jesus to someone who doesn’t know me, like a taxi driver recently. Street witnessing, house-to-house visitation or dropping tracts would be no threat. Talking and speaking about Jesus when I am overseas is really no threat, because these people don’t know how I live or speak or act.
Neighbours and workmates see me warts and all. They observe what I do and whether I am for real – a Christian who loves God and loves them. It’s not about never putting a foot wrong. People respond to authenticity. Authentic Christians are fallible but they have a point of reference – Jesus – a moral compass that refocuses them when they stumble.
We need to remember that we are the only Bible most will ever read. With God’s love held in our heart we can give testimony to His love and mercy. People who are our friends, neighbours and colleagues will see Jesus in us more if we simply convey our love. Through this they will glimpse the love of Christ and want to know more. This is personal evangelism and it costs us time and unconditional love.
Our culture leaves Jesus Christ out of our work. It causes us to believe that we alone are responsible for our job skills and control our success and promotions. Yet scripture doesn’t support this view. Paul wrote in Colossians 3:23, “And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ”.
The most important question we need to answer every day we begin work is, whom do I work for? If we understood the Jesus part in our work, perhaps we would experience less stress and frustration. In our work we have challenges and difficulties from time to time, but if we take Jesus Christ to work with us He will help us overcome.
We have been placed in our workplace to bring the good news and be salt and light. I give heartfelt thanks that Jesus has placed me in my mission field here in NZ. It is my work of love, my obedience to the Lord, my mission.
Ngā mihi | Kind regards,
Graham Walshe
Under Graham’s leadership, Brother International (NZ) Ltd has become one of the top performing distributors of Brother products worldwide. Graham has also worked with several not-for-profit organisations including the Pacific Cooperation Foundation. Graham has proved that Christian principles applied in the business world can lead to success and that fundamental integrity, truth and honesty is now a practice many businesses are striving to adhere to and be recognised for.