Will McKinney -being a Christian in a secular workplace

How am I supposed to make Christ known as I serve in the United States Navy? This is a difficult question. How we should act and how we actually act do not always match up.

Initially, I had to come to grips with whether my future career would be pleasing to the Lord. I had to first ask myself : 1) is this job pleasing to the Lord? The military had special issues other than most career fields such as the use of lethal force against another individual. Granted the majority of people in the forces don’t actually “pull the trigger,” but everyone works towards supporting those who do. So, I wasn’t able to justify myself by merely saying that, “I’m in the military but I don’t support war” since that’s having a divided heart. I have come across one or two individuals who were pacifists, and justified the fact that they were in the military by the fact that they didn’t actually kill anybody.

There are however, a few scriptural examples of why I finally came to the conviction that serving in the Navy was a worthwhile career, for the time being. Acts 10 – Cornelius was a Roman centurion and not asked to give up his job. Matthew 8: 5 – 13.

Jesus speaking to the Roman centurion. Romans 13:4 where the government is given the authorization to use the sword, in a judiciary and a military way. However, Jesus, also said to Peter, “Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword,” in Matthew 26:52 So, I had to be content with the dangerous risks involved with working in the military. Flying over ‘bad-guy’ lands with the worst-case scenario on my mind was something I had to do, even if the worst-case scenario was highly unlikely.

But, how does one please the Lord once you’ve determined to take a particular job? I would say two things, and in saying them, I am saying to myself just as much to anyone else: being a man of excellence and a living epistle. What does that mean?

Well, God calls us in Colossians 3:23-24 saying, “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.” So, we are called to do our work “heartily” and do it with an attitude of service for our Saviour.

This does not mean to be a workaholic, and be at work 24/7, but it does mean to be faithful in the task that we’ve been charged to do. We are meant to be trustworthy, and men and women of integrity, which ties in to the next point of being living “epistles”.

We are to be “workers” of such quality that people notice our hard work, and positive attitude. They notice the lack of a complaining spirit, which can be difficult, since “A complaining sailor is a happy sailor.” They also notice how we act in the off-times. And being in the forces, there are plenty of opportunities to spend down-time with others. This down-time, is a time when folks let their guard down and the conversations begin, about various issues. I experienced this a few times while on my 6 month deployment onboard the USS John F. Kennedy. When living constantly in a high stress environment, people are likely to be more real and open than they are while they are at home.

Once you’ve earned the right to be heard, by the character of your work and your life, by God’s grace, you will have an opportunity to share His truth. There is a balance, and with which I still struggle, at times probably not saying enough when the opportunity arises, or not saying the right thing. Spending time in God’s Word, the Bible, therefore becomes so important. 1 Peter 3: 15 says, “but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you.” If we spend time in His Word we will know the right thing to say to be a witness for our Lord. And remember that we are not responsible for the other person’s response, only whether or not we have been faithful sharing the message that Christ has given to us.

God has put some interesting opportunities throughout my time in the Navy, and while serving here in the RAF. I had a chance to share with a Saudi Air Force pilot on the aircraft carrier, who had never heard the message of Christianity. I don’t think he was receptive, but it was encouraging to think that even though I could not enter into Saudi Arabia, the Lord would send this Saudi to our ship to hear about Jesus.

Over the years I have been impressed with the need to pray for ones work colleagues. It is important to pray for those who you are around every day. When you are nervous about witnessing, pray for boldness and an opportunity to share the message of hope which those that know Jesus Christ have. When someone at work is going through difficult times, use that opportunity to pray that the Lord will see them through that, and use it to draw them to Himself. There’s no need to make a big production, however one must pray as the Lord lays it on one’s heart for those at work.

Being a Christian at work can be challenging, especially when you are with colleagues for an extended period of time. At times we fail at being a proper witness for Him, but God uses that to teach us humility and remind us of our need for His amazing grace.