Keeping It REAL
As adults, many of us spend the majority of our waking hours at work. That means most of our opportunities to share the teaching of Jesus Christ occur when we’re “in the marketplace.” For expediency’s sake, I simply refer to this as “the 9-to-5,” regardless of what shift or particular hours worked.
The Bible is full of incredible wisdom and is a source of amazing insight – but it’s not always readily accessible to everyone. And to be blunt, many working adults won’t make the time to pick it up, read it, and mine the depths of its spiritual truth. That’s why I try to strip it down and make it simple. I’ve created a values framework that is easy to understand and start applying in our everyday lives.
Ministry in the Marketplace
The overall theme for marketplace ministry is “keeping it REAL.” We do this by Respecting, Engaging, Accepting and Living. These are the core values that create the framework I use to learn about and reflect upon what it truly means to be a disciple of Christ.
RESPECT is the foundation for everything that we do. We start by respecting each other. We respect our family, our friends, our peers, our neighbors, all life, and all of God’s creation. If we can’t meet the challenge of showing respect, then we’ll fail the other three challenges!
ENGAGE is what we do in order to move ahead. We don’t disengage from life… we fully participate! We engage with each other and with the work and various activities that are presented to us. We understand that the more of ourselves we put into something, the more we’ll get out!
ACCEPT is a word that’s easy to say but hard to live! We strive to accept each other as we are. We want to accept each other because of our differences, not in spite of them. We believe that God made us all unique and loves us all, so the least we can do is accept one another!
LIVE is the final challenge we give ourselves. The only way to share the Good News is to live it every day. And we choose to live the other three challenges every day as well: RESPECT, ENGAGE & ACCEPT. When we add LIVE to the other three, we end up Keeping It REAL!
So What?
I continue to meet people who believe that Jesus Christ is their Lord and Savior, regardless of whether or not they attend a particular church or belong to a specific faith tradition. In addition to holding Christian beliefs, the other thing they have in common is the desire to share those beliefs without knowing exactly how to do it. Following a simple formula like the REAL values framework can help them measure their actions each day and begin making choices that reflect their Christian beliefs.
Now What?
Journal Prompts: At the end of most blog posts, I’ll give you questions to consider when journaling. (You are journaling each day, right?) So here’s what to think about today: When you think about “keeping it real,” what comes to mind? How would respecting, engaging with, and accepting others change the way you act at your 9-to-5?
Next Action: Pick a particular value – respect, engage, or accept – and try to intentionally live it tomorrow at work.
Further Reading: Keeping it REAL might be simple but it’s not always easy. Taking the time to speak with the Lord is one of the best things you can do, so check out this article on How to Pray.