Lending Perspective as Strategy

If you have influence then you need to have a perspective to offer people, even if that means it causes conflict and disagreements.

As Christ followers we need to offer a perspective reflecting our faith in Jesus. Can we go to Matthew 10?

⁷ And proclaim as you go, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ ⁸ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse lepers, cast out demons. You received without paying; give without pay. ⁹ Acquire no gold or silver or copper for your belts, ¹⁰ no bag for your journey, or two tunics or sandals or a staff, for the laborer deserves his food. ¹¹ And whatever town or village you enter, find out who is worthy in it and stay there until you depart. ¹² As you enter the house, greet it. ¹³ And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. ¹⁴ And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. (Matthew 10:7-14 ESV)

I want you to see 4 principles in this passage where the disciples are commissioned out into the world:

• Proclaim the gospel – you are being sent to proclaim the kingdom of heaven. No doubt about it. We are ultimately looking for the lost to bring them home.
• Find out who is worthy – I don’t want us to confuse what that word worthy. It’s not like the worthy in the comics to wield the hammer of Thor. It is “worthy” as in having a vested interest or relationship with, good or bad.
• Let your peace come upon it – Jesus tells his people to let your peace come upon the house who you are staying, who is just a person you have a relationship with. That is to love them and share your faith with them.
• Shake off the dust from your feet – obviously, it doesn’t always work out, brush it off.

How do we apply this to lending perspective in the workplace?

1. A good perspective boils down to whether or not they actually solve a real problem in the world. The gospel solves all problems. If your perspective solves that real-world problem, it is actually a good perspective that should be shared.
2. If you grow people, they’ll stick with you. One practical ways to this is to ask people “how” they are doing and be genuinely interested, before asking “what they are doing,” which will give people a sense of security, knowing you are for them. If you can take your people and value them and their giftings you stand a much better chance of turning them into solid and loyal employees.
3. The workplace is narcissistic – we have to shift the spotlight from ourselves to our colleagues or to our customers to reflect Jesus’ love. If you want your brand to thrive or your workplace to thrive, you have to be more interested in becoming a fan of the others instead of others becoming a fan of you. This is not sucking up, this is an application of what happens when you are sent.
4. Hold yourself and others accountable: Oftentimes, we avoid confronting people by telling ourselves, “I care about him/her. I don’t want him/her to feel bad.” But not holding yourselves others accountable for bad behavior or poor performance is really more about making ourselves feel better.