Workplace WitnessSample

Seasoned With Salt

We’re learning how to have more meaningful interactions with those we talk to at work. Paul’s instruction to the Colossians is reminiscent of Jesus’ analogy in Matthew 5:13–14 in which He tells us, ‘You are salt of the earth.’ Jesus also tells us we’re the ‘light of the world’ and ‘a city on a hill’: we’re called to be distinctive, visible, whole-life disciples.

Seasoning our conversations with salt means bringing a Christian perspective (godly wisdom, biblical truth, and gospel-perspective) into our conversations. Salt is used to preserve and flavour, and our workplace discussions can preserve truth and morality while adding the flavour of God’s goodness. Thankfully, if you’re hearing sermons, reading Christian books, or listening to Christian podcasts, then you’re probably readier than you think you are to offer God’s wisdom to your colleagues. Learn to look for gaps to mention what you’re learning or to express a faith-based view.

The three kinds of conversations we typically have at work are (1) work-related, (2) cultural, and (3) personal. Which particular work goals or stressors do people in your organisation talk about most? What kind of cultural talking points do your coworkers tend to gravitate towards? Do they shy away from personal conversations, or do you find people like to talk about themselves and what’s going on in their lives?

To bring God’s truth to bear on work situations, focus on building trust and authentic rapport with your coworkers, read the room, and experiment with phrases like, ‘As I’ve thought about this as a Christian…’ or ‘My faith really helps me make sense of…’ Engage in cultural conversations about whatever topics are trending in your office space. I love talking about films, but I avoid just telling people what I think about something I’ve watched. Rather, to season my conversation with salt, I try to explore with an interested coworker what the film was really about, what it meant to them, and how it matches up to the Bible’s view of reality.

Over time, as we listen and ask questions, and as people realise we have wisdom to share, we will find ourselves hearing more about our colleagues’ personal lives. People are people, made in God’s image, living in a broken world, with their own coping strategies – some successful, others less so. At any given moment, a colleague is probably grateful for something, negotiating a transition, or struggling behind the scenes. Consider being more vulnerable yourself to create a culture of greater trust and candour. Of course, we earn the right to ask questions and speak into people’s lives when we’ve won their trust, and that means it can take time before it’s natural and appropriate to share our Christian views. Don’t let this frustrate you. The more we listen attentively, the more time we have to think about exactly what wisdom is most relevant to the person in front of us, and when the time comes, we’ll be prepared to share it.