The Curse of the Sluggard

Or...5 Ways to Ruin your Reputation at Work

8,760 hours. It doesn't seem like a lot, but that is the total number of hours at our disposal each year. Of those, we will spend approximately 2,920 hours sleeping, leaving us 5,840 of waking hours we can spend in pursuit of life, liberty, and happiness. However, like most people, our time is not all our own: we have to work to keep the lights on, food on the table, and the roof over our heads. And for the Working Believer, the follower of Jesus Christ, our waking hours are when we are meant to shine.

Every year, we will spend approximately 2,685 hours working. That is roughly half of our total waking hours. With so much of our time spent at work, any Working Believer who does not utilize their working hours, working relationships, and working circles as their primary ministry field runs a great risk of missing out on many opportunities to live and share the Gospel.

We must beware The Curse of the Sluggard. If we do not realize the impact that a poor work ethic has on our witness and representation of the Lord, we are potentially bringing shame to His name. Here are 5 ways to ruin your witness at work:

1. Be Lazy

Laziness does not line up with the work ethic of the scriptures. It is impossible, when seeking to do our work heartily as for the Lord, to be lazy in that work. It is tempting to try and justify our laziness by stripping our roles as work of any value: "My job isn't important, so why should I care?" Or, "If my Supervisor or Manager doesn't care, why should I?"

The Problem is that it cannot be justified. Our work ethic, just like our walk with the Lord, is our personal responsibility. No other person, or situation, gives us leave of our duty and calling to represent Jesus Christ, for whom we are always Ambassadors.

And laziness is not easily confined: if we allow laziness in our work life, it won't be long until it finds its way into our home life, married life, parenting life, church life, and devotional life. Don't be the lazy, unproductive Sluggard!

2. Be Unreliable

Regardless where we fall within the Organizational Chart, if we can not be trusted to own the day-to-day tasks within our primary areas of responsibility we not only diminish our opportunities to add value to the company, but we also negatively impact our ability to speak personally into the lives of our teammates, Direct Reports, and Overseers.

"He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much: and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much." Luke 16:10

Did you notice the correlation between being faithful versus being unrighteous? Could it be that if we are not faithful in the work tasks that "don't matter", are we allowing unrighteousness into our hearts and lives? Don't be the unreliable Sluggard.

3. Be Unteachable

One of the most difficult things to deal with on a team is a person who never admits a mistake, constantly shifts blame, or who takes 'confidence' to the level of ultra arrogance.

As Working Believers, we not only need to be teachable ourselves, but we also need to model that kind of humility to others. When we shift blame, refuse to take ownership, or think more highly of ourselves than we ought we are also hindering our ability to share with our coworkers and teammates the Grace, Mercy, and Forgiveness of Christ.

4. Be Irritating

When it come to Team Building, few things are more frustrating than people who are stubborn, unteachable, and lazy. It can be difficult, discouraging, and, over time, toxic to a team if not addressed.

It is easy to see how one person's witness, or representation of Jesus Christ, could be damaged. Imagine being this type of worker, and then trying to reach out to a lost coworker, or even a Supervisor or Manager.

The stakes are so much higher than the daily tasks specific to your job, or potential promotion...the stakes are ETERNAL: The salvation of our lost coworkers, direct reports, the encouragement and discipleship of our brothers and sisters in Christ, and our personal walk with the Lord all hinge on our humble duty to represent the Lord in everything we do and say.

5. Be a Burden

There is a word for when a person seeks to be given something that they did not work for: Entitlement...and it absolutely kills teams.

For the Working Believer, our time at work is best spent working heartily for the Lord, serving our earthly master with sincerity of heart, and being a productive, fruitful follower of Jesus Christ. When we allow the world to infiltrate our hearts, we can quickly turn to a self-first mentality, try to justify our laziness, and then become embittered by all the things that we do not have, whether we earned them or not.

Do you want to grow personally and professionally on your team? Then do not be the burdensome Sluggard. Find a way to add value, and bless those with whom you serve.