Social Justice in the Workplace...

I've been on a roll at work lately, "stirring up trouble" as I put it. It's not meant to be trouble but sometimes when those without a voice find someone to speak for them it can ruffle some feathers. Isn't this what Jesus did?

My faith is deepening in ways I never imagined. I bring Jesus with me to the workplace, not to preach about Jesus or "minister" with the intent of leading people to the Lord in the traditional, formulaic, evangelical way.

I figure Jesus is so well known in our culture that the only way to really "preach" Jesus is to try and display him in my life. This isn't a phony thing, an imitation of what I think I should act like. I'm either doing it or I'm not. Mind you, I'm far from perfect in this regard which is fine because I'm not Jesus so I will mess up.

I've heard a few comments and they are usually about "church" such as it is well known I will fight not to work on Sunday because I go to church. People who know me a little more closely know that I talk about "philosophy" (i.e. Jesus) a lot. I just don't get all preachy.

My whole focus at work has lately tended to be about two things: being honest with the customer and, more importantly, focusing on building up the workers on the factory floor (i.e. the voiceless).

This past week it was in the 90s and it was hot enough for one of the workers to bring in their own industrial fan as there are not enough fans to dispel the heat, especially in light of some of the smoke from one of the areas. This area has caused more than a few people to be sick, let alone trying to work there in 90 degree heat.

So I sent out a mass email about the health issues related to this. It went up the food chain and ruffled some feathers. Now an inquiry was made several weeks prior to my email but it did not get very far.

Two things were immediately brought out of this email:

1) don't send out mass emails
2) employees are not allowed to bring in their own personal fans

It wasn't the health of the workers that was the immediate concern. It was the rules.

With a little more pushing (and acknowledgment of the email rule) and prompting, about two weeks later some fans showed up. What if I hadn't said anything? What if the worker hadn't brought in a personally owne fan (which cost about half a days' wage)? Would these fans have ever appeared?

Maybe. Maybe not.

But "social justice" and displaying Jesus need not be all churchy. Think of others and give voice to the voiceless. Go for the heart. Sometimes that is all the Jesus people need to see.

That was not my intent, mind you. My intent was that it was hot, smoky and there were not enough fans. My intent was "the other" and not me (and, to a lesser degree, trying to wake up the powers that be from the air conditioned slumber which makes it easy to forget what is happening down below).

But because of my neverending quest to get to know Jesus, I am finding my own voice and no longer have the fear I once had. I believe this strength is coming from a deepening relationship with him, the kind of relationship that is no longer stuck in the head but has moved to the heart.

So this idea of what it means to be a Christian is evolving for me. It isn't weird. It isn't otherworldly. It isn't meant to be confined to the church, creating enclaves of homeschooled, church cultured and sheltered Christians who are afraid of the outside world.

Jesus was in the mix, hanging out with those who were not seen as valuable by the one institution which was supposed to see their value as they are, not by some condition such as what or how they believe. He was trying to meet their need. In so doing, room was made in the heart for the love of God and for them to recognize their value.

I have no interest in changing the world or even trying to change any social structure. "The system" may be corrupt but it's only when individuals change that "systems" can begin to change. And the only way individuals change is when they have someone who shows them an alternative way to live in the world, in it but not of it, to use the well known quote from the New Testament.

Get out in the mix, be human. It's ok. Allow the Spirit to guide you, wherever you are, not some set of parameters you think is the way you are supposed to behave. It's not about earning spiritual gold stars. It's about being a light to the world. Live by the Spirit, not by the rules.