I didn’t realize I was carrying shame.
The truth is, after years of working part-time as an adjunct professor of Psychology and freelancing, the money I was bringing in wasn’t enough to help my family thrive. Many nights, I wondered what I could possibly do to make my resume better to score an interview. No matter how much I perfected my resume and added more references, and volunteer experiences, nothing seemed to encourage companies to call me. Yet, after almost a year of looking, I received an unexpected email that asked me to set up an interview time. My initial response was joy, only to be followed by dread.
I felt myself needing to hide parts of me.
For days before the interview, I questioned what I should leave out of my interview and what would be too risky out of fear of being judged or excluded. In my mind, no one would want to hire a mother of seven children. I imagined if a job would want to hire me with my brown skin color, southern accent, status as a military spouse, or time away from the full-time workforce. Even more so, one look at my resume revealed my Christian faith as my volunteer experiences were mostly church-based. I wasn’t sure if this category of my life could cause me to face a bias from the interviewer. In a world that values secularism, I feared missing out on the job I had been waiting for and when it was time for the interview deflected almost every question about any experience related to my faith. It was with heavy guilt that I denied the same God who I prayed would help me get the job.
I found myself ashamed of the Gospel.
Although I got the job, returning to the workforce required me to slowly peel off pieces of the perfectly polished mask that I had portrayed in the interview. Day by day I would struggle with how to show up Christian in the marketplace. Thankfully, the Lord started to speak to me about my choice to act as if I didn’t have a relationship with Him. He spoke so gently, “What if I placed you here to spread my Word?” What if your choice to not share the Gospel is life or death for your co-workers? Purposely hiding my faith was not only a bad idea but sinful. And although we would love to ignore Jesus’ strong message, He made it clear that denying the Gospel was not acceptable.
But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven. Matthew 10:33 New International Version
My faith wasn’t a burden but a gift to be shared.
A year into the job, I would find myself introducing myself as a woman of faith, sharing that my husband and I started a church often, and finding opportunities to pray for my co-workers. I would even become a leader in a Bible study for my colleagues. In a short time, I saw many rethink their faith and even start to ask how they could accept Jesus! The Lord taught me that sharing openly about my faith was something to run towards not away from.
Friends, there is power in sharing what God has done for you and who you really are, not who you pretend to be.
I believe I am not alone in struggling to pivot between the marketplace and ministry. The truth is, we don’t have to be a pastor, worship leader, or speaker to be ministers. Jesus makes it clear when He invites the disciples to be active participants in sharing the Gospel.
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20 New International Version
Yes! Each of us has been empowered to be missionaries to spread God’s word to anyone willing to listen. Denying God whether in action or with words can have dire consequences. Many times, we think of ministry only within the walls of our church and an occasional outreach. Yet, the truth is that most of the people in our churches already know Jesus. This is why God is sending an army of believers into the marketplace! I believe that God is giving believers an amazing opportunity to meet people where they are and show them the love of Christ.
My prayer is that we will never be ashamed of the Gospel! Instead, let us recognize that God has placed us strategically to be His light whether in the marketplace, home, streets, or even the internet! May we never feel the urge to hide the God we serve.
God is good.
God is still changing lives.
Now, go tell the world!
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:16 KJV
Let's pray:
Lord, I am praying for boldness to share your word. At times, I can feel like I am outnumbered when it comes to being a believer in a fallen world. Lord, help this not to intimidate me, but motivate me. Move through me Lord as I show up in the marketplace. Show me how to speak, act, and love in a way that bears witness to your existence. Remind me that I am strategically placed for a purpose. I receive my part of your Great Commission. In Jesus Name, Amen.
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