When It's Good to Be Bad
One of the areas equally vital to health is a “healthy” workplace. At some point in the near future, I’ll most likely have an entire issue dedicated to the matter. In the meantime, it seems even though people are in constant search of a good place to live and work, that increasingly it is more difficult to find those places.
We all have a certain control over our place to live since when it gets down to it, we are masters of our own domains. But what about the workplace? It’s a location where you can find little recourse because you don’t own your place of work (unless, that is, you own the company)! So, what are you to do when you can’t make your workplace the best place? Are you supposed to bounce around from job to job? Are you supposed to simply take it on the chin?
Yes, I know there are challenging dynamics in today’s workplace. You may find yourself learning more about people than you care to hear about. Betty did this and Jack did that. Can you believe it? You also often work closely with the opposite sex, and sometimes that can be a significant place of temptation. I have an entire teaching on that situation which you may find helpful – but again, in a later issue. Finally, it seems that bad behavior is rewarded with some companies. Integrity and “standing for something” can be seen as prudish or another indicator that, “Oh, yeah, Jim over there is one of those Christians. Stay away from him, because he’ll just tell the truth.” Or because you don’t participate in gossip, you are seen as antisocial. On the other hand, if you are bad – i.e., participating readily in scheming, gossip or whatnot, you are seen as one of the guys, or gals. It’s as though being good is bad.
There is recourse and encouragement, though. You see, I believe that if you bring your troubles to Jesus – and pray about what you should do, while at the same time working to improve your own environment – you come out ahead! Lean on Him and your workplace will be better. And listen, let me give you the straight shot. Sometimes it’s good to be bad. If you are seen as bad because you don’t recklessly contribute, then it’s one of those times!