iWork4Him PowerThought

• It's the last week of the year, and this has been a tough year for everybody. I don't know that anybody is going to look at 2020 and mourn its passing. It's time for a fresh start. So, what will a fresh start look like for you in 2021? Will it be getting up a little earlier and reading your Bible and spending time with God every day? Will it be a new exercise routine or new eating habits? Maybe it'll be a new attitude at work or intentionality to start new friendships. Whatever your fresh start looks like for you in 2021, how will it impact those you live alongside, both at work and home? Any day can be a fresh start, but with the new year coming, it's as good a time as any.

• It's the last week of the year, and this has been a tough year for everybody. I don't know that anybody is going to look at 2020 and mourn its passing. It's time for a fresh start. When I became a believer, I got a fresh start. Since that day, over 40 years ago, I've gotten a lot of fresh starts. The Bible says that God's mercies are new every morning. I have taken advantage of those new mercies a whole bunch in my life. What's great about a new year is we get an entire new year of fresh starts. God doesn't look back. He is looking forward to 2021. Are you ready for a fresh start in your life? What will that look like in 2021? Any day can be a fresh start, but with the new year coming, it's as good a time as any.

• It's Christmas Day. A day focused on the giving and receiving of gifts and recognizing the ultimate gift of Jesus. The day that you were born, your parents saw you as a gift. How are you a gift to your family today, to the parents that gave you birth? Is it with your frequent phone calls or notes dropped in the mail? Is it helping around the house with projects that they just can't do on their own anymore? Sometimes it takes a high level of intentionality to be a gift to the family that isn't always easy to be around. As a Jesus follower, you have been given the greatest gift of all time. Forgiveness and eternal life. Today, be that gift to those you love.

• It is Christmas Eve. This week has focused on the giving and receiving of gifts and recognizing the ultimate gift of Jesus. Are you a gift to the people you live near? Outside of work, we come in contact with a lot of people. You might be involved in a small group from church. How are you a gift to your small group? Are you a gift in the way you serve others in your community? Are you a gift in the way you love others when they're going through a struggle? Are you a gift in the way you pray for people or the way you help out with projects that others just can't do alone? As a Jesus follower, you have been given the greatest gift of all time. Forgiveness and eternal life. This week, be that gift to those you love.

• It's the week of Christmas. A week focused on the giving and receiving of gifts and recognizing the ultimate gift of Jesus. Are you a gift to the people you work with? What does that look like? Is it the work you do, or how you do your work? Is it your attitude at work, or is it the excellence you demonstrate as you do your work? When your coworkers, employees, or bosses look at you, do they see you as a gift to the organization? What can you do today to be a gift to those that you work alongside? You can ask the Holy Spirit to help you figure this out. As a Jesus follower, you have been given the greatest gift of all time. Forgiveness and eternal life. This week, be that gift to those you love.

• It's the week of Christmas. A week focused on the giving and receiving of gifts and recognizing the ultimate gift of Jesus. Are you a gift to the people you work with? We all love to get gifts, but what kind of gift do you love to give. For Martha and I, we love to give the gift of entertainment. Not a song and dance routine, but hosting people for dinner. We love to cook a meal and share our kitchen table to build relationships. What kind of gift do you love to give to those you work with? Is it your friendship, a smile, or extra hard work? Do those you work with see you as a gift? As a Jesus follower, you have been given the greatest gift of all time. Forgiveness and eternal life. This week, be that gift to those you love.

• It's the week of Christmas. A week focused on the giving and receiving of gifts and recognizing the ultimate gift of Jesus. Are you a gift to the people you work with? What is the most memorable gift you have ever received on Christmas morning? Was it a doll or a train set or a bicycle? Maybe it was memorable because of who you spent it with, like the last time you were with your grandmother or grandfather. One day when you leave your work to start a new job or retire, Will the people you leave behind remember you as a gift to them? Will they mourn the day you leave? As a Jesus follower, you have been given the greatest gift of all time. Forgiveness and eternal life. This week, be that gift to those you love.

As a Christ-follower in the workplace, you are likely to mess up once in a while. What you do next is the key to helping others see the difference Jesus is making in you. Ford Taylor from Transformational Leadership has developed the 6-step Apology. We are going to cover the final step today. Up to this point, we have confessed and apologized. We have asked for forgiveness and permitted accountability. Our final step is to say, "Is there anything else I've done in our relationship that I need to apologize for?" This gives your relationship a chance to start with a clean slate. It could also lead to another 6 step apology. When we are quick to admit our wrong and ask for forgiveness when we make a mistake at work, it is an excellent opportunity to show the world what it looks like to love our neighbor.

As a Christ-follower in the workplace, you are likely to mess up once in a while. What you do next is the key to helping others see the difference Jesus is making in you. Ford Taylor from Transformational Leadership has developed the 6-step Apology. Today is step 5. Step 5 involves accountability. You say to the person you have wronged, "I give you permission to hold me accountable for not behaving this way anymore." You are not making them hold you accountable. You are permitting them. When we open the door to accountability, we are opening the door to change in our life. When we are quick to admit our wrong and ask for forgiveness when we make a mistake at work, it is an excellent opportunity to show the world what it looks like to love our neighbor.

As a Christ-follower in the workplace, you are likely to mess up once in a while. What you do next is the key to helping others see the difference Jesus is making in you. Ford Taylor from Transformational Leadership has developed the 6-step Apology. We are going to cover step 4 today. Step 4 involves asking for forgiveness. Say, "when you can, will you forgive me?" Forgiveness is a gift to both parties, but it must be given, not taken. Asking the offended to forgive you actually frees them from any bitterness that can build up inside them, but it must be a choice on their own and in their own time. When we are quick to admit our wrong and ask forgiveness when we make a mistake at work, it is an excellent opportunity to show the world what it looks like to love our neighbor.