Every Christian who is walking out their faith should be asking this question.
I have been in men's meetings where the question was, "How do I witness in an environment that is hostile toward talking about God?"
What does the Bible say?
The leader of the meeting decided that instead of talking about the question of how to witness at work, it was more important to plan to make videos for our wives telling them how much we appreciate them.
The question was brought up again and the answer was a murmur, that the way to witness was to be a good person and let your actions speak for God; and there was a more honest "I'm not sure." Then there was a quick move to start talking about the video and scheduling a men's BBQ while footage for our wives could be shot at that time.
Why is this topic too difficult and avoided? I think it has a lot to do with what we fear might happen if we bring up God at work.
The fear of ending up alone and ostracized for faith at work can also be a scary motivator to keep silent. Some hostile people might want to label the Gospel as hate speech and seek to have the person witnessing dismissed, or even try to press legal charges against them. The truth is, how many times in the Bible are people walking through the streets preaching to all that can hear? Most of the time what we read is in a synagogue or in a temple like when Paul talked about the statue of the unknown god. These are people that are coming to discuss philosophy or spiritual aspects of life, this isn't like some salesman making random cold calls with a telemarketing plan.
"'Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.'" (Ephesians 4:17-18). How does a Christian combat this way of thinking if becoming a Christian is the way out of a darkened understanding? Witnessing to Christians isn't the answer to witnessing at work, and if they are not wanting to talk about God trying to make them won't change anything. They are like Lazarus in the tomb, dead, only by listening to God's voice will they have life. There was even the rich young man in Matthew that asked Christ directly how to get into the kingdom and walked away sad because he was choosing not to listen. So then, what is the Christian to do at work?
Paul gives us this answer in 1 Corinthians 9:22-27 "To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified." This means do not exhibit a "holier than thou" attitude when around non-Christians, but pray for them and look for opportunities. The men's group I mentioned earlier did have a partially correct answer, let your life exhibit that of one that is saved. We don't avoid those we work with.
We must remain in God's word so that we do not become disqualified. Remember these are people that have a darkened understanding and Christ is the light. We are not to be a super-perfect-preacher-Christian, but a regular person. When Paul became all things to all people he did not become a sinner, he was a regular person doing regular activities with people.
Once during my early teen-age years at a summer camp in Conconelly, Washington my cabin was being raided by another cabin. While we were defending our cabin another kid was sandwiched in a second story window between the frame and the wood used to close the window. I remember another cabin mate taking what looked like an 18 pound Bible and whacking the invader on the head before pushing him out the window with a "Have a piece of the good book!"
It is so easy to get excited about a living savior! It is easy to whop someone over the head with what the Bible says. I'll be honest, I really want to hit them hard with the truth too! That really doesn't matter though, it is nothing we can do anyway, God saves. So what is the answer to the believer?
We are to be humble.
Become weak to those who are weak. Don't give in to unrighteous behavior.
There is only one prize and people need Christ.
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