I just got laughed at by a co-worker from the cubicle across the aisle.
I made an update to a Held Labor Hours/Cost report this morning to correct a column display width issue wherein the “t” on the Client column heading was text-wrapping to the next line. I needed to make that column just a teeny bit wider. I made the correction, published the updated report, and viewed it to see the correction in a live report. When the report loaded and I saw that my “fix” caused two other fields to wrap in the same way, so I mumbled softly to myself, “Well, now that’s disappointing.” Apparently my mumble was loud enough that my co-worker, Ian, heard it and busted out laughing.
In response to my friend’s laugh, I chuckled a bit myself while turning to him and asking, “Are you laughing at me, man?” Ian responded, “Sometimes you are my role-model, Damon. You softly say, ‘That’s disappointing’ when I want to pound the keyboard.” It was an eye opening reminder to me that we are always being watched, even when we are engaged in the most mundane of tasks.
The Bible has much to say about modelling godly behavior before other believers, before non-believers, before our children… I often fail at this, so today’s experience was a timely, welcome reminder.
All quotes are from from the English Standard Version:
1 Timothy 4:12 – Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.
Matthew 5:13-16 – You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
1 Corinthians 11:1 – Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
John 13:13-14 – You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.
Ephesians 5:1 – Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 1 John 2:6 – Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked. Luke 6:43-44 – For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
James 2:18b – Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
Rom 14:13 – Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother.
And finally…
1 Peter 2:11-12 – Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
I am setting an example even when (and probably especially when) I do not know I am setting an example. Walk in the light as he himself is in the light my friends.
Victoriously in Christ!
– damon
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We were just discussing the “salt of the earth” scripture from Matthew at tonight’s table discussion at our Alpha group at IHM. The comment was about salt being used before the days of refrigeration “to keep things from going bad” – and that’s what we need to do as Christians. Let our light shine to keep things from going bad. Seems simple, but, I had never really thought about it that way before tonight.
True. Salt was long used as a preservative. I also can be a disinfectant and it enhances flavor. There is a book out there (one I’ve not read) that is supposed to be fascinating, titled something like, “The History of Salt.” It might be a worthwhile read.
UPDATE: I found what I believe to be that book. Salt: A World History