Corrupting Co-workers

I know the bible says, "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful."

And I'm wondering if I am doing wrong by working with the wrong type of people. I'm putting myself though college part time and working as a dental assistant at a Dentists office. The people I work with are disgusting. The office manager is a lesbian that talks about her lovers all day long and has the most filthy mouth I've ever heard (and I know I was pretty bad myself before I got saved). My bosses and coworkers take the Lord's name in vain about every 5 minutes. I gave the unsaved lesbian woman a track but she rejects the Lord. Today I left a "millions disappear, fact or fiction" Ruckman track today on the table. I know I might get fired for this but it's worth it.

I feel like I should not be around these type of people. I can't even get away on my lunch break. I'm trapped there and everytime these people use my saviors name in vain it feels like I just got punched in the stomach or slapped silly. So I tell them I am a Christian and that they please respect the way they talk around me". I get Sorry, I'm not changing.

So am I wrong by working with people like this? My pastor says later or not being around people like this will corrupt me. I know I will never become like them but I just want to make sure I'm not sinning by being around these people. I guess I'm supposed to be in the world but not of it? What do you think?

Kara

Originally posted by Kara:

And I'm wondering if I am doing wrong by working with the wrong type of people. I'm putting myself though college part time and working as a dental assistant at a Dentists office. The people I work with are disgusting. The office manager is a lesbian that talks about her lovers all day long and has the most filthy mouth I've ever heard (and I know I was pretty bad myself before I got saved). My bosses and coworkers take the Lord's name in vain about every 5 minutes. I gave the unsaved lesbian woman a track but she rejects the Lord. Today I left a "millions disappear, fact or fiction" Ruckman track today on the table. I know I might get fired for this but it's worth it.

I feel like I should not be around these type of people. I can't even get away on my lunch break. I'm trapped there and everytime these people use my saviors name in vain it feels like I just got punched in the stomach or slapped silly. So I tell them I am a Christian and that they please respect the way they talk around me". I get Sorry, I'm not changing.

So am I wrong by working with people like this? My pastor says later or not being around people like this will corrupt me. I know I will never become like them but I just want to make sure I'm not sinning by being around these people. I guess I'm supposed to be in the world but not of it? What do you think?

Kara

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Question one: How long have you been a Christian?

Question two: If you are not to win these lost people to Christ, then who?

Question three: Are these people doing what they are supposed to do as sinners? Lesbian=sin. Cursing =sin. But they are sinners. They are doing what they are supposed to do.

Question four: Not be around these people? What do you want to do, live in a box?

Comment one: If you want them to respect you, you should also respect them as humans, even though you may not agree with their lifestyle or action.

I agree with Saggy. Sometimes the Lord sets us down in the middle of a missionary field.

You might be better off not saying too much right now but show them by your lifestyle and example what Christianity really is...maybe they will want some.

I think this is a good question. Whether or not someone is a new Christian or not is not the issue. We ought to try to encourage one anothe rin this area as it can be discouraging. If God provided that job for you then He does want you to be a witness there. We have to witness in two ways, with our lips and with our life. Be the best worker you can be, respect your coworkers, and ask God for opportunities to lovingly share the Gospel with them. It may only be a bit at a time but sow the seed as your are able. Let them see Christ in you and a joy that they cannot explain. Also, remember that they are not the enemy, they are simply lost folks doing waht lost folks do. It's easy to forget where we came from. Especially for those who got saved really young. Smile, be helpful, be encouraging, do all that you can do, but don't shut yourself off from them. They really need to see that you genuinely care about them. Be encoraged!

Remember, this is an opportunity to prove their stereotype of Christians wrong. I am against the "loving and accepting" position. (I'll be a nice and gracious and not call it a heresy.) But, if you listen to them you'll find that they really have some misconceptions about what Christians are all about. (Thanks no doubt to the various and sundry nutcases that wrap themselves in the Christian flag.) Worst case (from the human point of view), you might be the first and only person to pray for their salvation. Someone else might be the one to actually give the verbal wittness. But consider yourself the beginning of the process.

You have a choice as to how YOU will react and be a testimony for Christ in a very filthy, worldly workplace.

In Genesis, Lot was "vexed" over the filth of Sodom, but continued living there, working there, and raising his kids.

But when he tried to witness, "he seemed like one who mocked" to the sodomites there.

THEY had influenced him, not the other way around. If YOU are strong enough to stand against "sodom", you can influence them and share the Gospel.

That is your part. And then know that GOD is the one that will change the heart.

I have a son who just graduated from college, and a son who is a freshman in college. They have both worked at various jobs either to save for college or in working their way through college. I can appreciate the standards that they set for themselves. One of them turned down quite a few job offers, for he would only take a job if it left him free on Sunday. He will not work on Sundays.

The other son had a bad experience like you are going through. He quit. He said to himself (and me), that he doesn't have to put up with that kind of work environment. He is not going to listen eight hours a day, 40 hours a week to some person's filthy mouth and sexual escapades. There's lots of other work out there if a young person wants to work. He didn't want to come having his mind filled (or vexed) with the filth of this world.

I agreed with his stand. Young people have enough trouble in this world to contend with, without the added pressure of a rotten environment or work place.
Having said that: Pray; Go where God wants you to go. And,
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
DHK

I am certainly not in favor of giving the lost the idea that I go along with their sin or accept their lifestyles. As Christians, we are certainly right about our position as far as sin is concerned, but we have to make sure we are not nasty about it. I do want them to know that I genuinely care about them and don't give them the impression that I think I am better than they are because I don't do certain things. My workplace is a rough environment as well and I have not beeen here too long. I am honestly seeking ways and opportunities to witness. I realize that I have been focused on waiting for the "ideal" opportunity where I can go through the whole plan of salvation and have missed opportunities to sow the seed. Also, I have hesitated to open my mouth about certain sins around me because I didn't want to turn them off without giving them the gospel first. I realize now that by allowing Christ to be part of my everyday life will bring up those little opportunites. I can ask the folks politely to please not use bad language and then go on and explain why I am asking by using my testimony. I can also be sitting at the table and disagree during a discussion of a current topic if they are wrong about a moral issue like gay people. I can say that is wrong and God did not create them that way and that the Bible very clearly condemns it. It may create some friction but then I can turn around and use it for a witnessing opportunity. I can say that this type of sin is a result of man's rebellion against God that started with Adam and Eve and that Jesus Christ wants to save us from our sin. I think if we are creative and try to seize even the smallest opportunity we will be more effective witnesses. Even if folks turn me off and get angry etc, I have atlest tried to be obedient and God knows. Maybe some of the situations will bear fruit and will develop into further discussion or someone will come to be on their own with questions. Now that God has shown me this I want to be more actively attempting to do this. My weakness is that I don't have the natural gift of gab and am very self-conscious at times. I am not the best at starting conversations. To make this thread beneficial to everyone, does anyone have any suggestions for how and when to witness in the workplace or maybe some stories of what they did and how God used it? I for one don't claim to have all the answers and am certainly open to what others have to say. While my environment is not the greatest, I do believe God wants me here. Outside of church and in fellowship with my friends, I don't expect to live without hearing curse words etc. Our world is filthy. However, even with the limited way that I have approached a few people here, the environment has gotten better and people ar emore careful about what they say. Each one of us has to seek God's leading on a job situation, but we cannot eliminate it just because it is filthy.

I have been working at the same job at the same company for 3 years. I get plenty of opportunity to talk to people. It is part of my job as support. In that time the word has gotten around that I am different. My co-workers say I am cool and yet they know I am a Christian who will not compromise my principles. They also sometimes slip and say unsavory things and then catch themselves. If they don't, I don't go off on them, but I don't participate either.
God gives me the opportunity to witness to every one of them. It may not be to drop the plan of salvation on them... but I have had the opportunity often to share my testamony and the basis of my faith. In the last 2 months I have been able to witness 2 guys repent and submit to the Lord's soveriegn will for their lives. ( my way of saying they "got saved")
It has taken 3 years of being openly faithful to Him. I am not pushy. I just try to remain the salt and the light as Jesus told disciples to be.

I realize that it has been some time since this was posted, but when I read it, I felt led to reply.

Were it not for the silent witness of a student worker in my office, I do not think that I would be a Christian today.

I am a support staff employee at a local state university. I have my own office that I share with no other permanent employees. However, I usually employ 4-6 student workers who have their own desk inside my office.

I went through 29 years of my life thinking I was a Christian. After all, I went to the alter, said the prayer, and got baptised...In my mind I was a Christian. It did not matter to me that there was no fruit in my life whatsoever. In fact, I wallowed in my sin. I would shrug people off when they would try to evangelise to me. After having several bad experiences with well-meaning Christians who tried to witness to me, just the mention of God, Jesus, the Bible, or being saved put me on the defensive. These people would often tell me how bad I was and that I needed Christ, and then leave me to fume in anger.

One day, my office door opened and a very bright young female student was asking for a job. I liked her personality and hired her on the spot. I began to notice that she would never participate in normal office shananighans...the gossip, the dirty jokes, the cursing, the vulgar stories, etc. Instead she would quietly perform her tasks and sometimes read her Bible.

Little did I know that this student was praying for my salvation. She was a member of a campus ministry group and she often shared her prayer request for me with the group. I did not know this until much later.

Long story short...I came to Christ 1.5 years ago. My life has completely changed. I have a huge desire to know God and to serve God. I also have the desire to witness to others. God has changed my life in such a way that people who knew me before comment on the change.

So I guess my point is, first do not allow your co-workers draw you into sin. Secondly, lift them up in prayer and thirdly, look for God to change your work environment! He will!

Thank you for sharing this testimony, TLH

I want to add my opinion as well.
As a newer Christian I have been impacted the most by other Christians who have a strong faith but do not preach to others as if they are better people. Through the years God has brought great Christians into my life who did not hesitate to answer my questions but who left it up to me to decide. Had I felt pressured I would have run away screaming. That's my perspective so I'm sure not all would agree with me, but that's where I'm coming from. Good luck with your job.....

Amen and Amen!

Sharing the Gospel, using words only if necessary!

How will they know unless they hear........

be a light pray for them and read Gods word every day and ask God how to reach them with the Gospel. remeber God love them and wants to save them and forgive them. how will they know unless they hear......