How to Be an Honest Christian in the Workplace?

By Yang Qifeng, Canada

　　Looking at the coffeemakers which were heaped up on my testing-table, my monitor said impatiently, “Young man! Look! You test the products so slowly that so many of them are heaped up. When you see that the QC who checks over the products isn’t here, you don’t need to test them. Directly give them to the other members of staff. If the QC asks you whether you have tested the products, you can say you have done. The former employee didn’t test all the products. Therefore, the products were not heaped up. How can you be so stupid?” “The previous employee tested the products very fast and didn’t heap them up,” my colleague opposite to me said contemptuously. Hearing their words, I felt very aggrieved in my heart …

　　I work in an appliance installation company and am responsible for testing the quality of the export coffeemakers. These machines need to be tested by putting some water into them one by one. As soon as I’m not careful, my hands will be blistered by scalding water. In order to prevent any quality problems emerging, I tested each of them carefully. However, to increase the output and gain more awards, my monitor urged me to work quickly more than once. I felt a little shaken within: Since the previous employee didn’t test the products one by one and nothing happened, then I won’t test all of them. But then I thought: I’m a believer in God and God requires us to be honest people. If I don’t test the products one by one, then I’m irresponsible as well as cheating others, and I’m not an honest person that brings God joy. I’ll test what I should test. Therefore, I prayed to God silently in my heart, “Oh God! I’m willing to put into practice being an honest person.” After the prayer, I still tested the products one by one. Seeing that I didn’t do according to what she said, my monitor blamed me in front of my colleagues, “You’re too stupid and your mind is inflexible.” Hearing that she talked about me like this, I thought: This is not because I’m stupid or I can’t do like that. Before I believed in God, I also cheated others. Now that I believe in God, I should practice according to God’s words.

　　The Lord Jesus once said, “But let your communication be, Yes, yes; No, no: for whatever is more than these comes of evil” (Matthew 5:37). Proverbs 12:22, “Lying lips are abomination to Jehovah: but they that deal truly are his delight.” God loves the honest and He also hopes that I have a place for Him in my heart. So, in the face of QC, I can’t be a liar. If I have tested the machines, I should say I have done; if not, I should say I haven’t done. If I’m afraid of the leader’s criticism and then tell a lie to protect my own interests, in that case, I’m falling into Satan’s scheme, deceiving God and I’m not an honest person. Therefore, I made a resolution to practice the words of the Lord and stand testimony.

　　Later on, I still carefully tested each of the coffeemakers and then gave them to the other members of staff. At that time, my monitor again said impatiently, “Your mind is so inflexible. Be smart!” I understood her meaning and said calmly, “Monitor, I indeed test the products slowly. If other people are faster, I can change my position with them.” Hearing that I said like this, she left without a word. After she left, I felt peaceful in my heart.

　　Once, the head office’s people would come to our company to inspect our work. After hearing this news, my monitor hurriedly gathered us employees to have a meeting. She said, “Some people from the head office will come to our company to inspect our work. Even if our products don’t measure up, you should say they are qualified. If you say in this way, the company will give you a reward after this matter passes. If you tell the truth and cause trouble for our company, you’ll be fired. Don’t blame me for not warning you! In addition, our job follows a nine-hour schedule. If they ask you, you should say we work for 8 hours one day.” Some employees nodded and some others discussed about it. I thought: Isn’t this cheating others? Facing this environment, I started to live in difficulties and my heart was at war: When I’m asked, if I choose to practice the words of the Lord to be an honest person and tell the truth, I’ll lose my job and can’t gain my salary of a few thousand yuan; if not, God won’t like me. I wavered …

　　After I returned home, I read the story of Job. When his property was stripped, Job said, “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: Jehovah gave, and Jehovah has taken away; blessed be the name of Jehovah” (Job 1:21). When his wife made fun of him, he answered, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” (Job 2:10). Job was simple and honest, and had a heart of reverence for God. When he faced a trial, he believed everything is controlled by the hand of God, didn’t consider his loss or gain and still followed God’s way. Finally, he stood witness for God and was approved by God. In comparison, looking at myself, when encountering the practical environments which touched on my own interests, I always lived in difficulties for my gain and loss and even didn’t want to follow God’s way. My stature was still too small. After understanding God’s intention, I decided to learn from Job and also prayed to God silently to give me the confidence to practice His word. I believed that whether I would be fired by the company and gain my salary or not is being controlled by God.

　　When I went to work, I was still a bit worried that the inspector would ask me and that I would be fired by my company after telling the truth. Hence, my heart pounded. I realized that my condition was not right, so I hurriedly prayed to God to give me confidence. After the prayer, I was not that nervous. I didn’t think that the inspector would actually come to ask me, “How do you test the products? Will you give them to the other workers after testing them?” I said truthfully, “I test the products according to the testing standards. After that, I’ll give them to the other workers.” At that time, our manager changed the topic and diverted the inspector’s attention, and therefore I wasn’t asked other questions anymore. I knew that all these things were under God’s dominion.

　　In the company, I conducted myself honestly and did things carefully according to God’s words and always quieted my heart before God, thus every day was very enriching. Gradually, my monitor and colleagues no longer said anything about me. Sometimes they would also actively chat with me. After I experienced these environments, my faith in God increased more and I believed that If we practice according to God’s words, we’ll surely gain God’s guidance.

Know more: Bible Verses by Topic