Sometimes you are living out the dream God has called for your life. Sometimes you are in the mundane and middle part of the process. Either way, whether you are working in an Orphanage in Africa, or working at a secular job in North America…we need to Minister and be a witness to others wherever we are at in our journeys.

The past year has come with a lot of changes in our family, living situations and seasons of life and marriage. I went from being home full-time with 2 girls into working full-time and then leaving that to follow what I believe God is calling me to do.  It came with a lot of different feelings of how I was witnessing to others in each of those scenarios. What I feel like I gained from the time I did work full-time in a the ‘secular business world’ was that even in that I should be a living testimony to others. That is should not matter what job I am at, what location I am living in, that my goal should be that no matter what people see Jesus when they see my life.  I want to be set apart, I want that standard for myself.  I don’t want to blend into this world, that idea actually terrifies me.

One concept that really changed the way I thought about working in the ‘secular’ world was this:  You are reaching people who likely DONT ever go to church. That blew my mind when I looked at it like that.  If they would be able to see Jesus in me, not in my words but in my behaviours and actions how amazing would that be. This world is dividing quicker then we can comprehend, and as Christians fewer and fewer people are going to church and being involved in a church family.  For some, they have been hurt by the church. For others, they believe stereotypes and the rest are unconsciously looking for Jesus in every other thing possible this world will offer them. So if YOUR encounter with them can open their eyes to look beyond all of that, how amazing. …that’s a pretty tall order though!!!

Dont Push
What I am talking about is not actually talking.  Being a witness to those around you is not pushing ideologies, ideas and beliefs on anyone.  What I am actually talking about it what people see when you aren’t talking.  Your behaviours, Manners, Actions, Choices etc.

Ask
Not one we always enthusiastically do, but to ask God for the opportunities to make a difference in someone’s life and to be that witness. God knows everyone in your workplace, mom group, school and wherever you go’s stories.  He knows where your story, your light can be used.  Ask him to show you those opportunities, and don’t turn them down if they are presented to you! As scary as this idea may be, if you want to be a follower of Christ this has to be our mind frame while living in this world.

Don’t Follow the Crowd
God tells us to be in the world but not of the world.  So my question is: Are you different? In this case, different is good.  This world is not always a good place these days, being set apart is what Christ asks of us.  That isn’t always going to be looking highly upon in worldly terms. It also sometimes comes with sacrifices on our part.  But something I know very clearly is how much God care’s about our holiness and if that means sacrificing a moment of happiness, that is okay.  Are you participating in the gossip and rumour train? Are you talking to the new employee and/or outcast? Are you standing your ground to do or not do things that agree with your beliefs (I know for me I was very convicted about working on Sundays.  It wasn’t something I was publicly running around saying but went about it in the most professional way I could.  It is very important to me to go to church so that was something I made a priority)

Always Feed Yourself
I say this in the sense that you are continuously pouring into your personal relationship with God so that it overflows out of you in your behaviours and actions and way of living. You want to be connected with God and his word, if an opportunity arises to speak to someone about Christ, you want to feel like you have the answers and that comes from the close relationship you have and being in the word every day so it’s in your mind.  I know for myself personally, the less I am reading my bible the worse my ability for this is.

Some of this isn’t easy or comfortable to do.  All I know is when I am standing in front of God, I want to be able to say I did my absolute best to glorify him and honour him every moment of every day, no matter where I was.  I want to be able to look back with him and see the times I stood proud that I followed him, and didn’t conform to ‘looking cool’  because a moment of ‘cool’ is nothing when you compare it to eternity in heaven.  I know that I felt very useless when I wasn’t working within a specific church ministry, but now I feel like every moment can be useless if I change my perception and perspective of it! I challenge you today to look inwards and see what your reality is and if you feel like you are just going through the motions with the world or are you setting yourself apart?  Like I said, it’s a tall order; but well worth it!