Amy and I took breaks, ate lunch, and left work at the same time. Hanging out with Amy meant dealing with the smoke, a colorful vocabulary, and stories from her tumultuous life. I was one of the only women at work who didn’t smoke, go to bars, or talk like Amy.

“How can you stand it?” my husband asked as we drove home.

“I like Amy. I think she needs a Christian friend.” I didn’t like the fact that she smoked and used foul language, but how could I expect clean-cut behavior from someone with her background? God had helped me see Amy as a woman who desperately needed Him. I’d decided early on that instead of feeling contaminated by all I had to put up with in my secular workplace, I would seek opportunities to encourage my coworkers, pray for them, and share what God had done in my life. When Amy started asking questions about God, I saw what He could do when I chose to be a friend instead of grumbling about their worldly lifestyles.

Working outside the home typically means working alongside nonbelievers. The language, offensive jokes, and destructive life choices can be hard to deal with. At the same time we have daily opportunities to reflect the light of Christ.

When questioned about His choice of company (namely tax collectors and women with questionable backgrounds), Jesus reminded His critics that He came for those who needed Him most—sinners. He loved them yet spoke the truth, and in the process many were changed. He can be our example of how to shine in a dark world.