Be the light. Show God’s love.

No one has ever seen God, but if we love one another, God lives in us, and His love is made complete in us. (1 John 4:12)

A little over a week ago, I bid goodbye to my former work family. And by family, I mean those that I not only worked with but those I’ve grown to love, value, and cherish over the past four years. I didn’t just associate with my peers; I cared about their lives, prayed over their problems, and worked hard to show God’s light of love at every turn. 

These were people that I spent years encouraging, and it was important to me to not only say farewell but also to remind them, one last time, of their importance, in one final message of love.  

“You may not hear that you are appreciated enough,” I wrote, “but I’m here to tell you that it’s true. You are the glue that holds everything together. You are the heart and soul of this company and the undergirding that keeps everything and everyone else fortified. Never underestimate [your value] and never doubt how important you are.” 

The responses I received were precious to me. “You have made an impact that will be impossible to fill,” one of my team members wrote. “You have blessed us with your grace and kindness and are the literal heart of [our department].”

“You will be missed by everyone in this department,” wrote another, “perhaps more than you realize. Everyone who has worked with you here is better for having met you!” 

More than just messages of being missed, the most significant responses I received were those that alluded to the light of Christ that I worked so hard to project. 

• “You have been a shining, positive light [in our department]. We were blessed to have you.” 
• “You are always a source of sunshine!”
• “You have always been a beam of sunshine, and I was always in a better frame of mind after speaking with you.” 
• “You are always a very bright ray of sunshine in what can some days be a dreary and stressful workplace.” 

While I strive to perform above and beyond my work expectations, my primary purpose – in and out of the workplace – is to show love. Doing so hasn’t always been easy – especially when I am tired, overloaded, or rejected by others. But as a Christian, it’s my mission to emody God’s love, wherever I am, to whomever I meet.

Believers are called to be God’s hands and feet. We are the personification of our heavenly Father that the often harsh and sometimes cruel world needs to see. It’s not enough just to be loved by God and to love Him in return. We need to demonstrate God’s unquenchable love to everyone we meet – even and maybe especially in our places of employment. 

Many people we work with will never step foot inside a church building, but they can still know God by watching us. Do we offer generic greetings to people we pass in our places of employment, or do we take the time to show that we genuinely care by listening, engaging, and demonstrating concern for others? 

Are we afraid to say, “God bless you” or “I’ll pray for you” when we hear of familial stressors or the aching bodies and overworked minds of our team members?

Has political correctness become the new standard rather than honest compassion for the challenges faced by those we strive alongside each day? 

Have we forgotten to care about one another in today’s world? I pray not. 

Each of us has the same opportunities every day to demonstrate the light of Christ by how we act, respond, and care for one another. We must – each of us – make a daily, conscious choice to make a difference. We can either shut down or show up, shrink back or shine forth. I choose to do the latter – every single time. 

“Thank you so much for your kindness, encouragement, and positive nature,” one of my former teammates wrote to me, “and thank you for being a vessel that God uses every day to touch people.” 

Be the vessel. Be the lampstand. Be the light. Don’t be afraid to shine forth, beloved. Love God and love people.