13. Pilgrimage to Paradise: Jesus in the Workplace

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They are referred to, and not always very kindly, as "ambulance-chasers"—you know, the lawyers who offer to get you a big payout when you  feel you have been mistreated, or misrepresented, in some way. 

"Sue" is a three-letter word that lights up the eyes of lawyers, raises the hopes of victims, real or imaginary, and is a thorn in the flesh to those on its receiving end.

Peter weighs in on victimology, specifically in the case of those who work for others, in 1 Peter 2:18-23. In his day that meant "slaves"—those who were obligated to work without compensation and often under harsh conditions. Many modern-day employees, rightly or wrongly, think of themselves in the same terms as the real slaves of Peter's day would have thought of themselves.—underpaid, overworked, abused, unappreciated, overlooked.

For the believers to whom Peter is addressing his letter there might have been another item added to that list—persecuted for their faith.

And there were no lawyers waiting in the wings to offer their services to help slaves who needed justice.

So what was Peter's advice to believers in this situation?

"Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh. For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 'He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.' When they hurled insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly."

The first example of this kind of attitude that comes to mind is that of Joseph. Perhaps that was also what Peter was thinking of as he wrote. Genesis tells us the story of this young man, sold into slavery by his brothers, who found himself a slave in the household of Potiphar, the captain of the king's guard. We are told in Genesis 39:2-6 this: "The Lord was with Joseph so that he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favour in his eyes and became his attendant. Potiphar put him in charge of his household, and he entrusted to his care everything he owned. From the time he put him in charge of his household and all that he owned, the Lord blessed the household of the Egyptian because of Joseph. The blessing of the Lord was on everything Potiphar had, both in the house and in the field. So Potiphar left everything he had in Joseph's care; with Joseph in charge, he did not concern himself with anything except the food he ate."

Joseph did what Peter instructs his readers to do: He lived out the way of Jesus regardless of his circumstances. And in case we think that Joseph got off easily, his story continues with the false accusations leveled against him by Potiphar's wife that ended with Joseph being put into prison for something he didn't do (Genesis 39:6b-23). Joseph continued to exercise his reverent fear of God by doing what was right despite the actions of Potiphar's wife and, for that, he suffered the consequences. He did what Peter instructed believers of his day to do: "Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly." He believed that God would right whatever wrongs had been committed against him.

The workplace can be a challenging place to be a Christian. It can be a place of injustice and abuse, a place where standing up for truth is not appreciated and is punished.  It can be, as we also read in Joseph's story, a place to be a witness and a blessing even to those who don't believe. The workplace can be a wilderness where the godly actions of believers serve as springs of living truth that water the hearts and lives of those who as yet have not begun their pilgrimage to Paradise (Psalm 84:5-7), but who just might need that little bit of encouragement to begin that journey.

Whatever the consequences, the workplace is always a place to represent Jesus by acting and reacting as He would, and as He did. What makes it possible to do that is our commitment to keep our eyes on Jesus and our focus on walking His walk all the way through whatever wilderness He choses to become part of our journey.