What Makes Us Distinctly Different?

When I think of the word integrity, I think of honesty and authenticity. Of course, we should be asking ourselves, “Am I being honest and truthful to those I work with?” But when was the last time you wondered if you were being truthful and honest with yourself?  

Living out our faith at work is much more than not doing the wrong things. It’s about actively doing the right things. When we clothe ourselves in the virtues listed in these verses, we make it evident to those around us who the master is in our lives.

How do we ensure we live out these virtues instead of just getting by on being good enough?

The first of the four gospels to be written, Matthew opens the New Testament with the genealogy of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, King of the Jews. This section of the Sermon on the Mount begins with verse 19, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.” But what is treasure really?

In Ephesians 4:1-16, Paul explains that our differences are not to divide us, and that Jesus broke down the barriers between us with His death and resurrection and that now all are joined as the body of Christ regardless of our differences. Let’s walk through these verses together and discern through Paul’s instructions to the Ephesians, which we’ll bring into our day-to-day work.  

Galatians 5:22-23 gives us a beautiful picture of the fruit of the Spirit being produced in our lives. Like apples on a tree – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control naturally flow from us. It’s such a stirring image that we often stop there. However, if we read on, we see that we have a part to play in bearing fruit. Verses 24-25 tell us that we are to live as people who belong to Christ, crucifying the flesh and keeping in step with the Spirit.