SHE 31 - Woman Of ValourSample

Most of us reading this will have a job at some point. For most of us we need to work to earn money to provide for ourselves and our families. Luckily, we serve a God who has given us the ability to work and make money. 

Consider: What are you like to work with?

Our Proverbs 31 woman is a woman who works. A woman who works hard at what she does. We’re told that she “makes belted linen garments and sashes to sell to the merchants”. She may not work in a school, or an office, or a GP surgery, or a shop, or a salon, but she does have colleagues. People that she comes into regular contact with. People that she sells to and negotiates with. Given what we know of this remarkable woman, what do you think she is like to work with? What do you think her colleagues feel about her? Does she bring joy or negativity to her workplace? Do people smile when she enters the room or do they dread her turning up for work? For me, I’d love to work alongside a woman like that. 

Context: Why bother?

We all want to work with nice people in a nice environment. We want to love what we do and do what we love. We want to be paid well. We want sociable hours….. We want, we want, we want and we make it all about us. 

But let’s zoom out for a moment. Employment is a gift. The workplace is a mission field. Our colleagues are our audience (and yes, they’re watching you). But it’s not about us. It’s about the message of Jesus. What difference are you making in your workplace? Do you lighten the mood or drag everyone down with your moaning? Do you watch your tongue or do you join in office gossip and slander?

Over to you: Ask yourself…..

• Do your colleagues know that you’re a Christian? Do you find your faith difficult or easy to talk about?
• What makes you different from your colleagues? Do you stand out at work because of your relationship with Jesus?
• How do you show the love of Jesus to the people you work with?
• What one thing can you change about the way you behave / act / speak in work that will show your colleagues more of Jesus?