How to Be a Light in Your Workplace

Being a light is not something you do; it’s who you become.

You don't just go to church. You are the Church.

The local church is the place where we often make our most important spiritual decisions. But it doesn’t mean our decisions stay there (that alone might be a good reminder for us today). And yes, some are called to ministry, and that eventually becomes their vocation, but you are not required to abandon your vocation simply because you become a follower of Christ.

I deeply admire the generation before me that locked into their secular vocations for 30-plus years, led their families honorably, and followed Jesus well as they remained people of high character. It’s infectious! When we see someone living this way, it gets our attention. So stay. Stay right where you are vocationally until the Lord tells you otherwise. We need more and more people saying yes to Jesus and flooding all the areas of the “marketplace.”

So how do we lock in where we are and live in a way that gets people’s attention for the Kingdom? Think about the darkest places you’ve been in—the kind of darkness where you can’t even see your hand in front of your face. And then think about the moment you bring light into that space. It doesn’t take much, and the whole environment changes. And frankly, so does your thought pattern. You are no longer afraid because you can see. Scripture reveals to us the heart of Jesus, in regards to light, that’s not based on circumstance, situations, or vocations. Take a look at just a few here:

John 8:12
“Again, Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”

Matthew 5:14-16 
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Ephesians 5:8
“For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.”

What do we see? ”You will have the light.” “You are light.” Jesus is THE light!

Being a light is not something you do; it’s who you become. It’s who you are. The more you take in the Word, the more it changes you, and the more it comes out of you and changes your environment. I promise you, this is a better way than just putting on our Christian t-shirts and bracelets and hoping someone sees them and miraculously finds Jesus. I have nothing against those things, but it cannot be our only way of “being a light.”

Consider for just a minute the very beginning of light. All the way back in Genesis 1:1-3, there was darkness and a void. But God said, “Let there be light.” He spoke light into existence because that’s who God is—HE IS LIGHT. And because being a follower of Christ is all about a relationship with Jesus, the more you walk with Him, the more you become like Him. The light is within you. Church, please listen to me on this one: may we always be people who allow God to shine HIS light in us, to change us and continue making us new, long before we step into the dark places and try to “fix” other people. There is profound freedom in this incredible shift of the mind.

It truly is about building relationships. You shouldn’t be looking for a way to benefit you but to benefit others. It’s about taking on the posture of a servant on mission. We are all missionaries within the circles in which God has placed us. Embrace that and enjoy it! You may be the only missionary in your circle.

So what are we going to do today? Let’s spend time with Jesus. Let’s read His Word. Let’s “create pause” in our lives where we can lean in a little and listen to what He might be trying to say to us. And then let’s be people who return to it the next day. And the next….you get it. Little by little, He will make you more like Him. And people around you will notice. Then, just be faithful to tell them the reason for the change within you. 

You are a great light! Love you guys!

Psalm 119:105
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”