The Importance of Morality in the Workplace

Javier, was a Latino who had been working at a factory for a couple of months after having been unemployed for quite a long time. One day his bosses called him to their office and told him that they had been observing his work and would like to give him a chance to be a manager at their company. That week, there were a number of trucks coming to the company carrying merchandise, and they were asking him as a favor to sign as if he had receive one less. Javier went home very troubled to consult with his wife, who, without hesitation, advised him to do it because they could really use more money. What would you do if you were in Javier's position?

This example comes from the movie "Courageous", and serves as an excellent example for this article because this situation is very common, to various degrees, in a lot of jobs.

One of the greatest challenges Christians have is to be open about their beliefs at the workplace; especially when those beliefs are put to the test by others. Why do I talk about beliefs?, because your beliefs are what determined your reactions to any situation, especially in the workplace. Reacting morally correct is much more easier said than done, as when these situations arise, they are usually accompanied of fear of rejection, frustration, a lot of confrontation, and sometimes the fear of being in the "bad side of the boss"! Word of advice: regardless of how many arguments you might have to back up your good actions, when people don't want to believe or are hesitant to morality, they will just not understand you. However, our reactions as God-fearing Christians should always reflect the truth of Scripture regardless of the situation.

Moral principles are what separate you from the rest, and it's what, in some instances, can turn you into the linchpin of your company (that person who is essential for the proper functioning of your WHOLE company). In fact, there will always be a chance in which the person they will look for advice or help is you; and just because you have proven yourself to be trustworthy. It is not about shoving "religion" down people's throats (as other's might do to you about their humanistic beliefs), it's about letting your actions do the talking. As the Bible says, there is no law that tells you that you should not love, be joyful, or faithful (Galatians 5:22-23). Similarly, and at least until now, there are no constitutional laws that prohibit you from speaking truth, obeying, being honest, loving your coworkers, doing what is morally right.

Sometimes, your coworkers might want to tease you and put you in uncomfortable positions. I think the greatest advice I can give you is to not have pity for them, instead, have as much mercy and love for them as possible. Remember Jesus died for them too!

Javier's story finished the next day when he went to his bosses and told them how thankful he was with the opportunity they wanted to give him. However, he explained that he would not be able to do what they asked him to do, because it was against his principles and, especially, because he wanted to honor God. His bosses were in shock. They told him that because of his decision, he had put them in a situation in which they had to decide to do something about him, and they pressured him with other words to take the job. He then told them that he understood that both the promotion, and his job, depended on his decision, therefore he would take any decision they would take about him. After this, they looked at each other and then told him: we have interviewed a lot of people for this position, and all of them have done what we told them to do. To cheat. Now we know we can trust you. We were testing you. You got the job!