Honesty

Matthew 5:33-37; James 5:12

Can people trust what you say? Are you generally trustworthy? Jesus said it first, but James re-emphasizes the point. As a Christian, people need to be able to trust you. They need to know that you are honest with them. Sometimes, we tell half-truths or deceive people without telling bald face lies, but that's still not letting "your yes be yes and your no be no." Jesus is saying that there should be no duplicity in your words.

In business, it can be easy to think that we have to make compromises to get ahead. Time and time again, Jesus says that if you think that way, you're not focused on the right goals. If you feel like dishonesty and deception are ingrained in your workplace, perhaps it's time for you to be the one who is different.

Lying

At my previous university, I taught at least one section of communication ethics every semester. We would discuss Kant, who thought that lying was never acceptable, under any circumstances, and every student would universally condemn that as too rigid. Throughout most of the semester, they would latch on to various versions of situational ethics.

One of my favorite moments in that course was when we would discuss Sissela Bok's book called "Lying." Students had to read the book by a particular moment in the course and write a brief paper about it. But the point of the paper was really to make sure they'd read so we could all discuss Bok's ideas. Bok believed that there were exceptions to Kant's universalism such as lying to save someone's life. But she believed that such exceptions were rare enough that very few of us would ever face them. When have you had to lie to save someone's life? Bok's rule of thumb was to think of lying as the option of last resort--always a bad idea, but sometimes the only option available. She called this the Principle of Veracity, that truth is always preferable to lying except in extreme circumstances. Bok also said that we're not really the best judges of when it's ok for us to lie. We should think about what it would be like if our peers knew about this lie--what would they think about us?

Now apply these ideas to workplaces. Lying is common in many organizations. We can all point to the Enron's and Countrywide's, but that's ducking the point in two ways. First, it's laying the blame on all the employees of those companies when many were also victims. Second, lying doesn't have to involve big issues and cost billions of dollars to be wrong. Fudging a timesheet or padding an expense account are both lying. So is making excuses for not coming in to work when those excuses are not legitimate. Flattery is a form of lying. Office politics are often based on deception.

Little "white lies" are all around us. You might think they're not a big deal, but I think there's two problems with even the smallest of lies. First, God says be honest. "Let your yes be yes and your no be no." Honesty honors God while dishonesty dishonors Him. Second, little lies increase our tolerance for dishonesty. We may have to tell bigger lies to cover up a little lie. Or we may just be more comfortable with medium sized lies because the smaller ones come so naturally. Lying becomes a habit, something we say before we even think about it. Remember, the problems with executives at Enron, Countrywide, and all of the other companies involved in scandals of the past decade didn't start out big. No one starts out to tell really outrageous lies. They start small. The lies grow and grow.

Make the decision today to be honest. It's not always convenient. It's sometimes uncomfortable or even dangerous to tell someone something other than what they want to hear. But it's the right thing to do.

Do Not Steal

Deuteronomy 5:19; Ephesians 4:28

We can hear stories of embezzlement and fraud on the news and think to ourselves, “how could they ever do that?” It’s easy to look at the publicized ethical lapses and realize that stealing millions of dollars from a company (or from individuals) is wrong. Most of us will never be in a situation where that’s even a temptation. But what about the little things? Some extra copies here, a few paper clips there. Never missed. A pack of pens as the kids go back to school, some “extra” expenses that no one will ever question. Not a problem, right? Even though many companies are trying to tighten their belts in a tough economy, most of these things are caught and happen frequently in organizations. But that doesn’t mean that these “white” sins are ok with God. God doesn’t differentiate between the Wall Street tycoons who are driven by greed and steal millions and you and me when we take those extra office supplies home. Stealing is stealing, and either way, it’s wrong. Write a note to yourself (where only you can see it) to remind you not to steal, even in the little things. Sure, no one’s counting the copies that you make and they might not even miss the paper. But as a Christian, you are called to a standard higher than “can I get away with it.”

Deny Yourself and Follow Me

Matthew 16:24-26; Mark 8:34-38; Luke 9:23-24

This is another one of those passages that really makes a good "theme" verse for what this blog is all about. "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." What does that really mean in the 21st century? What does it mean at work? It's not language we're really used to in every day conversations. Obviously, this verse applies to every part of our lives. But since this blog is about Christianity in the workplace, let me share some of what I think this verse means regarding work.

I think, first and foremost, it means that we need to resist our human nature toward ambition at any cost. I don't think that's a univeral trait because I've seen people who are not overly driven by ambition, but I think it is a common trait. We want to succeed. We want to be the best. And being the best means that others around us are not the best. Sometimes, our winning means they have to lose. But that's ok, because we have to be the best. There is a sense that any sacrifice is ok if it means that we advance, that we are recognized as "the best" or "among the best" at whatever it is that we do. And so relationships, family, integrity, it all may fall prey to the drive to achieve.

As I've posted before, God wants us to be good at what we do, to use our talents to His glory. We need to do quality work. But we're not supposed to be working to achieve our own glory. We're to do quality work because we're working for God's glory, not our own. So that's really the first part of today's passage--deny yourself, which might mean "deny your drive to accomplish your own glory" at work.

Then second, pick up your cross and follow Christ. Being Chrisitan at work makes you different, makes you stand out from the crowd. Your talk is different. You don't lie or gossip. You respect authority, even when the boss is not looking. Those things may make you the subject of ridicule from your coworkers, who laugh at you for being soft and not cut-throat enough. You may miss out on promotions because you turn the other cheek instead of going for the kill. That's why following Christ means picking up a cross.

It's not the easy road. And contrary to some popular wisdom, it won't win you fortunes and fame. So why do it? First, because look at how much you've been loved. That's enough right there. But if you need more motivation, Jesus gives it two verses later: "What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?" Does your success in your job, at the expense of so many other things, get you anything in the long run? I'm talking about the really long run here. At the end of everything, you won't be taking anything that you've earned with you. It won't matter how many deals you've closed, how much overtime you've logged, or how many people you had to climb over to claw your way to the top. It won't matter whether you had the corner office on the top floor or whether you worked as a clerk in the mail room. The only thing that will matter is Jesus.

He calls to you: "Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Me." What do you say to Him?

Can People Trust Your Word?

Matthew 5:33-37

Can people trust what you say? Are you generally trustworthy? I've blogged several times about honesty. Jesus makes a point in these verses that James also discusses. Perhaps you know people that, when they really want you to believe them, they throw lots of extra things in just to emphasize their honesty. "I swear on my mother's grave..." "By God..." Or the childhood favorite, "cross my heart." Jesus says that these things should be unnecessary. You should be speaking in such a way that when you say "yes," you don't have to say anything else. Of course, that only works if you are honest. If you're constantly telling half-truths and deceptions (even if they are completely lies), then you'll have to work harder to get people to believe you. But if you are known as someone who isn't afraid to tell the truth every time, people will realize that your "yes" really means yes and your "no" really means no. If that's not the case right now, it may take time to get there, but it will happen. But you have to work at honesty.

More Thoughts on Flattery

Proverbs 26:24-26, 28:23

Let's be clear. When the Bible uses the word "flattery," it's not referring to giving genuine compliments. That is a practice that's almost always a great idea. No, flattery in the Bible is telling people what they want to hear, usually when you don't believe what you say. "Yes, boss, that's a great idea." "I don't know what management was thinking, you really deserved that promotion." "Will do, whatever you say." Those thoughts could be sincere acknowledgements of a boss or coworker. But on the other hand, they could also be insincere attempts to win attention or influence others. It's that second classification that the Bible warns against. Look at verses 24 and 25: "A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but in his heart he harbors deceit. Though his speech is charming, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart." Another way to read "disguises himself with his lips" might be "thinks he (or she) can talk his way out of anything." Again, there's the deceit factor. These are not genuine compliments that are being dished out. Verse 28 says that a flattering mouth works ruin. Pretty harsh.

Be sure of this. If you think you can work your way up the ladder and avoid disappointments by telling people what you think they want to hear, watch out! Verse 27 says that it's probably going to come back to haunt you, and verse 26 states that your (mis)deeds will be publicly exposed. People will eventually catch on, and all the talking in the world may not make things right. Perhaps worst of all, people will begin to not trust you, and that trust may be very hard to win back.

Proverbs 28:23 has a fitting final word on all of this. False flattery may help you advance or help you to influence others. But at the end of the day, "he who rebukes a man will in the end gain more favor than he who has a flattering tongue." That is to say, that people want others around them that they can trust. In the workplace, competent managers are those who don't surround themselves with yes-people, those who tell them what they want to hear. Competent managers surround themselves with people who look at things objectively and speak the truth (with tact), even when it means disagreeing.

Honest Scales

Proverbs 11:1; 16:11; 20:10, 23
cf Amos 8:4-6; Micah 6:11

Another prominent theme in Proverbs is that of unfair scales. In an economy before digital scales where merchants would carry measuring cups and weights/scales for doing business, one way to “get ahead” was to have one set of measures for buying goods that perhaps were slightly over-sized (so you got more than you paid for) and another set for selling goods that were undersized (so you sold less than they paid for). This was condemned in Leviticus, but apparently the practice was common enough to still be an issue by the time Proverbs is compiled. Proverbs 11:1 states that God “abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight.” Proverbs 16 praises the business person who exercises honesty in business practices saying, “honest scales and balances are from the Lord.” In chapter 20, we learn that God “detests” unfair weights and scales.

And it seems that the Israelites didn’t listen particularly well to these proverbs. One of the complaints against both the people of Israel before they were conquered was that they were using dishonest scales. Amos says that God will not forget dishonest business practices, particularly when they disadvantage the poor and needy. Micah says that a person with unfair scales would not be acquitted.

So what about you? Are you honest in your business transactions? Are you looking for accounting tricks so that you come out ahead of others? When you deal with customers or clients, are you using the same yardstick with them that you would expect from your distributors? Whatever it is, take time today to consider the equivalent to unfair scales in your own industry. How can you ensure that your transactions are fair? If you feel confident there, then consider your transactions with the government. Are you trying to find a reason that those golf clubs really are a medical deduction? Are you honest about the money you made last year? You wouldn’t want a client being dishonest about the money they owe you, so reconsider your honesty with the money you owe the government.

God calls us to honesty in all of our transactions. As people of God, we need to be “above reproach” in this matter. We need to set examples for others in terms of fairness.

Flattery Will Get You Everywhere?

Psalm 12:2-4

David is pretty harsh when it comes to people who flatter others. "Help, LORD, for the godly are no more...Everyone lies to his neighbor; their flattering lips speak with deception. May the LORD cut off all flattering lips and every boastful tongue that says, "We will triumph with our tongues." Ouch. The passage considers the flatterer to be ungodly, and David asks God to cut off the tongues of flatterers. David isn't condemning those who compliment others. In fact, genuinely complimenting your boss can go a long way. David also isn't talking about using tact when it comes to your conversations with others. The reference here is to the person who "bends" the truth to win favor with another. Perhaps your boss completes a project that you could have done better but you tell your boss that it's the greatest thing you've ever seen. Or maybe you're competing for a promotion but you tell your coworker that he/she deserves it more, even when you don't think that's true. Compliments are an important part of interaction, whether in the workplace or in other parts of life. But if you're going to compliment someone, be sure that your compliment is true.

David is also talking specifically about those people who pridefully think they can talk their way out of trouble and into gain. So one issue is making sure your compliments are honest, but the second issue is that you are not relying on what you say for career success. As a communication studies professor, I am all about the importance of talk at work. In many ways, it's the coin of the realm. But relying too heavily on your communication ability, thinking you can communicate so well that you can achieve success for yourself, means that you are not relying on God and giving him credit for your accomplishments.

Be careful with flattering. Compliment. Be tactful. But be honest, and remember that you serve God alone.

New Attitude, New Self, Created to be like God, Part 1

Ephesians 4:25-32

This passage has a great deal to say about holy living, so much so that I'm going to break it up over a few posts. The passage starts with "therefore," and a preacher friend of mine used to say that whenever you see "therefore," you have to look at what came "before." In verses 22-24, Paul says, "You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." With the idea of a new attitude and a new self, both of which were created to be like God, Paul describes several ways in which the new self is different from the old self. These are general living verses, but several are very applicable to workplaces as well.

Paul begins by encouraging the Ephesians to be truthful (see also Col. 3:8-14). I can't think of very many things that will erode your relationships faster at work (or anywhere else) than dishonesty. We're not necessarily talking about Enron-sized dishonesty (although that's included, too). I know when I'm just about caught up on everything and someone asks me if I have a minute to do a particular task, it's very tempting to say, "no, I'm just swamped right now." Or what about being behind on a project, but when the boss asks how it's going, saying, "fine, almost finished with it." There are any number of times when we may have the opportunity to tell a "white lie." But in this passage and in Colossians, Paul reminds us that we are called to be different from people around us.

Paul also calls us to be careful with our anger. Many people have heard the phrase "don't let the sun go down on your anger." This doesn't mean that you can't take a short time to cool off before dealing with a problem. What Paul is saying is don't let things fester. When someone really makes me mad, my natural inclination is to stew. Sure I may be nice to the person's face, but inside, I'm thinking about how I'm going to get back at them or I'm imagining bad things happening to them. So what happens after that? Are things better? Typically not. In fact, what usually happens is I'm tenser, more upset, but they are usually oblivious to my distress. I lose out on sleep and peace because I'm dwelling on what they did and what I'd like to see happen to them rather than spending time thinking about better things. If you're angry (for the right reasons), be angry. But don't dwell on it. Say something, don't say something, but either way, move on.

Stand Out From the Crowd

1 Peter 1:13-17; 2:1, 12

These are not work-specific passages, but in just a few short verses, Peter gives some interesting ideas, ideas that are far from what you coworkers might expect. Be self-controlled. Set your mind on Christ. Be holy. Stay away from malice. Don't lie. Get rid of hypocrisy. Don't be envious. Don't slander others. Crave spiritual growth. More than a laundry list of do's and don't's, this is a recipe for how to not fit in. But that's the point. We talk about our kids and their desire to fit in at school. Yet we're no different from them. But Peter is telling us to be different. "Live such good lives among [your coworkers] that, though they [don't accept or understand you], they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." Stand out from the crowd.

Let Your Yes Be Yes...

James 5:12

Jesus said it first, and James re-emphasizes it here. Let your yes be yes and your no be no. Say what you mean. I think many times we get caught up in saying what people want to hear. It's part of office politics. And don't get me wrong, I do think a certain amount of audience analysis is a good thing. But when everything is said and done, you need to say what you mean and follow through with anything you commit to. When you say one thing, mean it. If you say that you'll do something, then do it. Don't be duplicitous. It's a great thing when people know they can take you at your word.

Fair Weights and Measures

Leviticus 19:35-36

God specifically wants His people to be honest in their business dealings. These passages (and there are others throughout the Bible) indicate that God wanted to Israelites to use the same standards in their selling that they do in their buying. To put it in context, the practice of the day was, if you wanted to buy a pound of something, you would take a set of weights out of your bag and measure out what you're scales said was one pound. But then, if you wanted to sell that product, you would have a different set of weights. When your buyer came, you would use this second set of weights that would give the buyer slightly less than one pound. The result is profit for you at the expense of either the buyer or the supplier (depending on which weight was false). God says His people are to have one set of weights--that is, they are to deal honestly in all business transactions.

Our society today have many types of "dishonest weights"--everything from Enron-style accounting and risky derivatives to questionable tax deductions. The business transactions in which we engage during the week are under God's eye just as much as our worship assemblies on Sunday. He expects us to glorify Him through honesty.