presented by Lisa Bishop

When was the last time you received a letter in the mail? I’m not talking about a letter from the city outlining your parking violation or a dreaded collection notice. I’m talking about a heart-felt, handwritten letter from a friend or loved one. It’s so rare these days to get anything but junk mail, isn’t it?

Over the past month I’ve been reading the New Testament. As I was reading the Apostle Paul’s letters, I noticed he opens each letter with some form of the following greeting. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Have you ever stopped to think about what Paul means when he addresses the recipients of his letters with those words? It must be important since Paul used grace and peace as common greetings. He is reminding all who are in Christ Jesus we are recipients of free, undeserved, and unearned mercy from God through Jesus. Along with God’s kindness and compassion, peace is also ours in Christ and is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. Paul is reminding us of who God is, and as we receive grace and peace, we are to release grace and peace to everyone around us.

We can often blow past Paul’s poignantly penned greeting and miss its meaning. David Guzik, an author and Bible commentator, says this about Paul’s words. “...Grace means, among other things, that God's attitude towards us is gracious, it's filled with favor. You see, when God sees us, …he sees beauty in us because we're in Jesus. To put it plainly, standing in grace means that God doesn't only love us, He likes us. It can be difficult for us to understand that God likes us, that he's well pleased with us in Jesus. We often suffer under the thought that God barely tolerates us because we're unworthy, or that, most of the time, God is irritated with us. You see, we're so familiar with our own sins and shortcomings we are easily convinced that God is always half-angry with us, and he's always disappointed in us because we're unworthy.

“Brothers and sisters,…your position before God is a standing of favor,…not one of unworthiness or irritation or mere toleration…Your standing in grace is only because of God's freely given favor in Jesus Christ.”[1]

Don’t you just love that reminder?

As we wrap up our week together, receive this blessing.

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. And as you have received God’s grace, go and be grace in the workplace.

[1] Guzik, D. (2018, January 12). Part 3 - What Does Living in Grace Look Like? by David Guzik. Blue Letter Bible. https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/guzik_david/GettingGrace/GettingGrace/Part-3-What-Does-Living-in-Grace-Look-Like.cfm

presented by Lisa Bishop

If you were to take inventory of your words over the past 48 hours, would you describe them as grace-filled?

We are given instructions to:

Never let ugly or hateful words come from your mouth, but instead let your words become beautiful gifts that encourage others; do this by speaking words of grace to help them (Ephesians 4:29).

Other versions say, let no unwholesome words come from your mouth, which means words that are rotten, corrupted, of poor quality are worthless. That is a strong warning, and one we can be prone to bypass, especially when we get caught up in office dynamics.

One of the most impactful ways to show God’s grace in your workplace is by filtering your words through the Holy Spirit before they fly out of your mouth. When people around you are grumbling and complaining about their work or their boss, talking poorly behind a coworker’s back, or speaking in a crude or insensitive way, you’ve got a secret weapon, and that weapon is grace.

And when I say weapon, I do not mean it in the harmful sense but in the powerful godly sense. The words should flow from your mouth and cultivate a healthy workplace culture. You may think you do not have much influence to impact a culture, but you do. Your words will either sow beauty that builds up and encourages, or they will be careless and tear down, discourage, and disparage others. Words that lack any sense of grace destroy harmony and collaboration.

Are your words beautiful gifts or atomic bombs? Do they bolster connection or are they like a termite slowly eating away at the structure of your relationships?

You’ve heard the phrase, “Think before you speak.” Before words roll off your tongue, put them through the THINK filter.

Are your words:

T—Tested? (meaning put through the test of grace)

H—Helpful?

I—Inspiring?

N—Necessary?

K—Kind?

If someone were to hear your words or eavesdrop on your conversation, would they get a proper representation of Jesus? Would they hear words of grace falling from your lips? Let’s commit together to THINK before we speak and let our words be a gift of grace to those who hear them.

presented by Lisa Bishop

I am examining ways to be grace in the workplace and learning about an aspect of grace—humility.

To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (Luke 18:9-14).

Have you ever uttered the words of the Pharisee, “God, I thank you I am not like other people. I thank you I am not like my coworker! She’s so loud. He’s so lazy. She is so incompetent.”

I have, and if you’re honest, you have too, even if you have whispered them silently to yourself. Because of our sin nature, we are prone to fall into the temptation of a self-elevating view that looks down on other people. We boast of the reasons we are better than others and we neglect our own shortcomings. Or worse, we put insufficiencies on a spectrum, and it just so happens our own faults are minimized while others’ faults are often put on blast.

God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6).

When you humble yourself, first before God, you get oodles of grace.

When it comes to being justified before God, we see the Pharisee listing the reasons he deserved God’s favor, but no amount of self-effort will earn you the grace of God. God cannot be bought or manipulated. That is good news because you and I will fall short, and Jesus fills the gap! The next time you are tempted to think more highly of yourself and less of others, remember you are loved. Thank God for his grace and humble yourself.

presented by Lisa Bishop

Are you a fool?

Fools show their annoyance at once, but the prudent overlook an insult (Proverbs 12:16).

If you have ever found yourself in a situation where your reputation was on the line or your competence was called into question based on something a coworker said about you, Proverbs provides solid wisdom on how to respond. It’s easy to react with retaliation or revenge when you are wronged, but Proverbs reminds us to respond to others with grace. Rather than being hot-headed and reactive, or maybe even silently vindictive, take a deep breath and hold back any rash words. Instead of responding harshly, or in a manner you may regret, keep a calm spirit.

When you are prudent, you are careful and wise, exercising good judgment in handling the injury done to you. When you act prudently, you create less trouble for yourself and in turn gain more credit and a good reputation from others.

Now, I am not saying you need to roll over and be walked on as false information is spoken about you, but when you exert wisdom and respond gracefully, you are a witness to the grace of Jesus.

It reminds me of Paul’s instructions:

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone (Colossians 4:5-6).

When you are insulted, your response is a witness to Jesus Christ. And when you don’t react in a way people typically behave when maligned and instead you act with kindness and courtesy, you create an opening for conversation that can lead to sharing your faith. You are able to give an answer, a reason for your spirit-led response.

The next time you are bad-mouthed, ground yourself in the Holy Spirit and ask him to cover your comeback with grace. Respond in the Spirit and ask, “What would grace do?”

presented by Lisa Bishop

I am examining an important characteristic of God we can often find difficult to emulate. Grace. And specifically, we’ll be unpacking ways to be grace in the workplace.

Notice how I said “be” grace. Grace ultimately flows from your identity, and when you are truly living from your identity in Jesus, grace will inform how you act, speak, and live. Just as an aspect of God’s character is grace, you and I are called to imitate Jesus and be grace to others.

We see grace as a constant theme in the Bible. In the Old Testament we hear the very words of God as he declares his character:

The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion, and sin (Exodus 34:6-7).

The word translated gracious means merciful in Hebrew. In the New Testament, grace translated from the Greek word charis, means favor, blessing, or kindness. The most powerful demonstration of grace is God choosing to bless us in Jesus rather than penalize us when we sin and fall short of his glory. You have probably heard of grace defined as unmerited favor. Meaning, regardless of your behavior, God chooses to love you. I am so grateful for God’s grace, aren’t you?

Who is someone in your workplace you find hard to extend grace to? A coworker you find it difficult to love and show kindness toward? We often find it most challenging to act in a gracious manner with people who have different opinions than us or act in ways we find off-putting. But as an ambassador of Christ, you are called to love and be good-natured toward everyone, to live from grace because you have been given grace.

When you live from a place of grace, fully known and fully loved, even with all your flaws, you will be more inclined to have a posture of grace with others.

The next time a coworker does something that gets on your nerves or says something that gets under your skin, rather than reacting in the flesh, ask yourself, “How will I be grace in the workplace?”

When I think back over my life, there are many things I would like to change. I would like to make better choices and decisions, make smarter moves, manage my money better, use my time more wisely—oh, there are many things I could have done so much better.

But mostly, when I think back over my life, I would like to avoid the sins of my past, the times when I wandered far away from God, the things I did in disobedience to him. I would like to erase those things I did which brought dishonor to his name; those times when I was a poor witness for Jesus Christ and a poor representative of the Kingdom of God.

But, of course, there is nothing to be gained by brooding over the past. Yesterday is gone; tomorrow is only a promise. The only thing you and I have is today. So, if we don’t want to have any more regrets to look back on in the future, then we must set our minds and hearts to begin today anew.

How do we do that? Well, the first thing and the most important thing is to make certain that you’ve been made a new creation in Christ. That’s where all new beginnings have their start, and without that transformation inside of us, any new beginnings we will attempt will be short-lived and futile.

The Bible says that when you become a new creation in Christ Jesus, the old has gone and the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17). It’s the most wonderful new beginning anyone can ever have. It’s that moment when you pass from death to life—when you are no longer under God’s condemnation because your sins are forgiven, and your eternal destiny is assured.

Maybe you have not yet had that new beginning. If I could sit down and talk with you personally, could you tell me of the time when you recognized your sinful condition, realized you could do nothing about it yourself, and came to God through Christ in humility to ask for forgiveness of all your past sins? Do you know that you’ve been born again, because Jesus told us that we must be born again in order to be a part of his Kingdom?

You see, many people today have the wrong idea of what it means to be a Christian. They think it means trying to be a good person, doing good deeds, going to church, being baptized, doing more good things than bad things, and so forth. They are trying to earn their way to heaven by doing good things and being a good person.

But here’s the truth, as the Bible tells us. None of us is righteous in ourselves, and not one of us can be good enough to meet God’s requirements for holiness. Therefore, on our own merit we cannot become a new person; we cannot have this new beginning.

That sounds pretty helpless and hopeless, until you realize what Jesus Christ has done for you in order to rectify your dilemma. He came as the perfect Son of God, died in order to pay the penalty for your sin, and rose again from the dead, in order to purchase for you and me eternal life. God’s righteous requirements have been met in Jesus, and we are given the opportunity to accept his payment for our sins.

The Bible says that “God made him (Jesus) who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus took your place and mine as a sacrifice for our sins, so that we could have his righteousness and therefore be acceptable to God. But this free gift of righteousness has to be accepted and believed.

Have you ever done that? If not, then that’s the new beginning that you need today. Nothing else matters as much as making certain that you’ve had this new beginning in Christ, because this determines where you will spend all of eternity—in heaven or in hell. If you have not yet accepted Jesus as the Savior and Lord of your life, you can do that right now. There’s no reason to wait. Just pray right where you are, right now, that God will forgive you of all your sins and give you the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

We’ll be glad to send you more information from God’s Word about this new beginning in Christ ...

What does it mean to practice The Ministry of Presence? God is showing me more and more how to practice being there for people.

For example, often when I am praying for someone or thinking about them, a thought will come into my mind about what I could do to be there for that person. I’ve learned that when those kinds of ideas come into my mind, it’s most likely placed there by the Holy Spirit, and therefore I should pay attention. So, many times I pause right then and write a note or make a call or add something to my to-do list to remind me to do something for that person that will simply let them know I’m thinking about them, and I care.

I have a friend who is struggling with a health issue. Obviously, I can’t do anything to help her resolve that issue, but I can let her know that I’m thinking about her and praying for her. Just to say that to someone, whether in person, on the phone, or by written word, is an example of practicing the ministry of presence.

Inviting someone to your home for no reason except to let them be with you is an example of practicing the ministry of presence. This past Thanksgiving two people who didn’t have close-by family were with us at my daughter’s home, sharing that meal with us, and it was an expression of care and concern to them, though we never spoke those words. Their invitation to be with us was the ministry extended to them that day, and it was a delight to have them with us.

I told you about my friends who are extending this ministry to homeless people around their home in Chicago. I don’t think I’ll ever forget what one of them said to my friend, Justin. The homeless man said that in spite of the fact that he was always told he was worthless, he now knew that wasn’t true. If he were worthless, my friend would not hang out with him.

The ministry of presence is hanging out with someone, even if it might be inconvenient or push you out of your comfort zone. Who is it in your life that would love for you to “hang out” with them? Are you willing to answer the call of Jesus to show his love through the ministry of your presence?

I’ve recently been introduced to this new terminology—the ministry of presence—but actually it’s not a new ministry at all. It’s exactly what Jesus has commissioned us to do, all of us who are Christ-followers, to be present in the lives of others. Simply to be there.

Everyone in the body of Christ is qualified for this ministry. You do not have to be brilliant, persuasive, articulate, or experienced. You do not have to be anything but available to be a wonderful tool in the hand of God. In fact, often the ministry of presence is a ministry without words.

You know, sometimes we use the Bible as though it were a band-aid. We stick a favorite verse on others who are suffering, and feel we’ve really helped them. But just as physical injuries take time to heal, emotional injuries do as well. True, when people are suffering, they need the truth of Scripture to help them heal, but sometimes they just need it demonstrated in your actions rather than in your words. Your presence can communicate what your words will never be able to say.

And keep in mind, when you’re with someone who is hurting, you don’t need to have answers. Often, I say to someone in pain, “I cannot explain this. I don’t know why this has happened.” That’s not terribly profound, but it’s often just simply the truth. So, when someone is really struggling with why something hurtful has happened to them, trying to come up with an explanation usually just makes them feel worse. Just be there; just give them the ministry of your presence without answers.

Someone has said that you and I cannot eliminate someone’s grief or sorrow, but we can share it and that will lighten their load. True believers, mature Christians grieve. Jesus did, and we will, too. We can’t stop it with words, but we can lighten it by our presence.

Are you available today for the ministry of presence? I believe if you are, God will give you an opportunity today to simply be there for someone.

I want to ask you a question: Where would you be today if you didn’t have people in your life who are simply there for you? I can tell you that God has blessed me with some dear people throughout my life who have always been there for me. People who cry with me and laugh with me, who share my burdens and my joys. Their presence in my life has made an incredible difference. I can’t imagine where I’d be without them.

That’s what I’m talking about this week—the ministry of presence. The incredible value there is in simply being there for others. When we become Christ-followers, we are commissioned by Jesus to serve others. After he washed the disciples’ feet at the Last Supper, Jesus said that he had given them an example of how they were to serve each other.

The ministry of presence is about being a servant—putting others’ needs ahead of your own. Jesus calls us to come alongside others and become a part of their lives. As Christians, we fulfill the law of Jesus by being present with people. It means we will serve people even when it might make us uncomfortable. It means we stand with people in the midst of their anxiety and fear, in their difficult times.

I’m truly challenging you and myself this week to take this ministry seriously. To actually ask God to show us what person in our lives needs our presence—simply needs us to be there for them.

For example, let’s say you work with a person who is going through something emotionally difficult—maybe a divorce or a recent death in their family. I find that when people are in these kinds of traumatic situations, they simply want a listening ear. Could you invite that person to lunch or coffee and simply listen? Not on company time, of course, but at a time and in a place that is appropriate, to be truly present with them, giving them your undivided attention.

Or could it be that there is someone very close to you—a mate or daughter or sibling—who needs to know that you’re not too busy to spend time with them? I think sometimes we can fail to see that those nearest to us need our presence—our total attention to them and whatever issues they’re facing.

You may have decided that you don’t have certain gifts or abilities, and you devalue the contribution you can make in the lives of others. I’m here to tell you today that if you are a Christ-follower, you are totally capable and qualified to have the ministry of presence. It’s just a matter of becoming intentional about doing it.

Do you know what the ministry of presence is? This is a ministry every Christ-follower should take seriously, and every one of us is qualified and equipped for this ministry.

Galatians 6:2 describes it this way: Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. That is an important part of this ministry of presence—simply being there for others, carrying their burdens, sharing their sorrows, as well as increasing their joys by our presence. This is the fulfillment of the law of Christ, the teaching of Jesus. This is the new commandment Jesus has given us, and it should be a hallmark of our lives as Christ-followers.

So, what I want to ask you today is: What person in your life right now could use your presence? What person needs to know that someone cares and hasn’t forgotten them? Stop right now, if you can, and let God’s Spirit reveal that person to you. Perhaps a name popped right into your mind; if not, ask God to reveal that person to you. It may be someone very close to you, a relative or close friend; or it may be someone you just met. Or could it be a stranger you haven’t met but who is somehow in your life—the beggar on the street or your next-door neighbor?

Recently God has made it clear to me that I need to do a better job of staying in touch regularly with some dear single women who have gone as missionaries to foreign countries. I’ve visited many of them, and I know how lonely and tough their lives can be. I know that they need the ministry of presence. They don’t necessarily need to read my books or listen to my talks; they simply need to know that I have not forgotten them, and I can be present in their lives by way of the internet.

The ministry of presence is not hard to do. You don’t need a degree from a Bible school to do it; you don’t need to be able to quote Scripture or teach a Bible study lesson to be qualified. You simply need to make a commitment to be present in a person’s life; just be there for them, and by your presence you will communicate God’s love. That’s what people need more than anything else.