A Bigger Boss

He stores up success for the upright; He is a shield for those who live with integrity. (Prov. 2:7)

Every time Paula opened her home office drawer and caught sight of the small gadget, her conscience was pricked. It had been several years since she had “borrowed” the item from work. It seemed so insignificant among her employer’s office supplies. She knew others who helped themselves to much bigger items. Still, Paula was pursuing a deeper relationship with God. She was learning to listen for His voice and obey in big and small things.

Finally, one day as she spotted the gadget and sensed the nudge, she responded. “Lord, I know it was wrong for me to bring this home, and it’s wrong to keep it. Peace with You is more important than saving myself the embarrassment of admitting I took something that didn’t belong to me.”

As Paula sat quietly before the Lord, she sensed Him prompting her to act. She placed the item in an envelope and included a note of confession and apology. She also explained that her faith called for her to live a life of integrity and honesty. Writing the name of her boss on the envelope, she put the package with her computer bag.

The workplace provides potential temptation for many subtle sins such as fudging on time cards and mileage forms, taking extended coffee and lunch breaks, missing work for questionable sick leave, “borrowing” office supplies, and goofing off on company time, as well as participating in office gossip.

Psalm 51:6 says, “Surely You desire integrity in the inner self.” Jesus taught that we are called to be salt and light to the watching world, that “everyone who names the name of the Lord must turn away from unrighteousness” (2 Tim. 2:19)—of any kind. The workplace offers unique forms of stress and temptation, but we are called to live out our faith in a winsome way.