|
One of the most
obvious characteristics of a
Christian in business should be integrity.
Unfortunately, too many
Christian business owners and
Christian employees fall into the commonly accepted
trap of "graying" the line between right and wrong. If you're a
Christian in business, and you're concerned about
what kind of witness you make for Jesus, you'll want to closely
guard the level of integrity in your life, both at
home and in the marketplace.
According to
Wikipedia, the free online encyclopedia -
http://en.wikipedia.org - integrity is "the basing of one's
actions on an internally consistent framework of principles."
This means that living with integrity ensures that everything
you do and believe is "based on the same core set of values."
What are our core
values as Christians? There are many we could choose,
but the Ten Commandments give us a good starting point. Put God
first. Don't take the Lord's name in vain. Don't lie, steal,
commit adultery, etc.
So, to live with
integrity means that--if you believe it's wrong to steal--you
NEVER steal. Not even a pencil from the office supply cabinet at
work, or an added hour of time from your client. Or if you
believe it's wrong to lie, you NEVER lie. Not even a "little
white lie" as to why you missed your latest deadline or why you
came into work late *again.* (This doesn't mean you have to be
so brutally honest you hurt someone's feelings by telling her
that her new haircut really looks horrible!) Or if you believe
you shouldn't use the Lord's name in vain, you NEVER use the
Lord's name in vain. Not even when someone makes you really
angry. It means that you do what is right because it's right...
even it's uncomfortable, or even painful, for you.
For
Christians, living with integrity is absolutely
essential.
Integrity ensures you have a
solid witness with your family, friends and business associates.
Integrity gives you credibility in all areas of your life. And
integrity is what will help convince your non-Christian
friends and loved ones of your sincerity when you
share the gospel with them.
Are you living
with integrity? Here are a few examples of what "lagging"
integrity looks like.
Do you ever...
* "borrow" money
or supplies from an employer or client?
* "forget" to
include some of the income you earned on your tax return?
* take longer
lunch periods than you're allowed without permission or charge a
client for time not actually worked?
* pad your expense
report with unauthorized charges?
* use a
company-assigned vehicle for personal use?
If you see any of
these actions in your own life, begin immediately to correct
those behaviors. Allowing your integrity to falter in even the
smallest aspect of your personal or business life harms your
Christian witness among your
clients,
co-workers, family and friends.
Not to mention the hurt it brings to our Heavenly Father.
About
the author: Marcia Chumbley is a
work at home mom and grandmother in Minnesota. She is
the owner of a
Christian Work From Home Moms and
Grandparents website at
http://www.faithfulgrannies.com bringing
generations of
Christian Work From Home Moms,
Grandmothers, Parents, Boomers and Families together
while providing resources, inspiration and affordable
advertising while balancing the work at home experience.
Faithful Grannies-
Christian Work From Home Moms and Grandparents
|
