Tidings for Tuesday
Now, as He walked by the sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea, for they were fishers. Mark 1:16
A man named Edward Kemble had a Sunday school class in Boston. One of his students was a 17-year-old shoe store clerk who had recently arrived in the city, and Mr. Kemble knew this young man was not saved. One day, he went into the shoe store and began to speak to the young man about his lost soul. Mr. Kemble stirred up the young man with his evident interest, with his fatherly hand on the lad’s shoulder, and with his tears. Because of those tears, the young man listened and was soon saved. He lived to prove the reality of that salvation. You may have heard of him; his name was Dwight L. Moody. But would he have ever been saved if Edward Kemble had not gone to his workplace? Would Simon Peter and Andrew ever have become disciples, and apostles, if Jesus had not gone to their workplace?
Most employers would object to us if we took a bundle of Gospel tracts and started a vigorous distribution campaign in our workplace, or if we gave a Gospel message in the lunchroom every noon. And we understand that. Business is business and we have no right to push even the Gospel into a space that is not ours. But there is a Gospel that we can preach in the workplace that is perfectly legal and right, and no respectable and diligent employer could ever object to. That Gospel is a good testimony. We know how a Christian should behave and operate. We know about honesty, and fairness, and compassion. These are all traits that we can – and must – show at our workplace. We also know about the joy of our Salvation, and there is no reason why we should not display a joyful, cheerful, and thankful spirit in our workplace. Although we must be careful not to inappropriately discuss the Gospel at our workplace, there are times when we can answer questions or make an appropriate remark, and enter into spiritual discussions with our workmates. It is possible, and it should be our desire, to be faithful to our Lord in our workplace.
We don’t know what would have happened if Edward Kemble had not gone to the shoe store to talk to his Sunday School student that day in Boston. We don’t know what would have happened to Simon Peter and Andrew if Jesus had not stopped at their fishing wharf. And we don’t know what will happen if we are not the testimony we should be where we work. But if we are a good testimony, we know we will have a good conscience before our Lord. And we know there is a possibility we could make a real difference to somebody.
The potential from a good testimony is impossible to calculate, but a good testimony at our workplace is a good place to speculate. – Jim MacIntosh