How can I be a witness to my colleagues but still be professional? What does it mean to be salt and light? 

Questions like these were explored during a Kingdom Calling event last week, which saw over 40 young adults gathered to learn how to live differently for Christ in the workplace.

Speaking at the session were Timothy Wong, managing director of DBS Group Research and owner of The Book Cafe, as well as Lee Li Ping, owner of Kara Cafe & Dessert Bar.  

If there was one theme that kept surfacing during the conversation, it would be this: Authenticity.

“Authenticity is the security in knowing your identity as a child of God,” Li Ping said.

“Society will ask you to be certain things and project its expectations onto you. But without the personal revelation of God as our Father and who you are in Him, you will not have the security to be the person you’re born to be.”

Timothy added: “In being salt and light, there is a call to be different from how the world operates as well as a call to be authentic, to be who God created you to be.”

When going from student to working adult, you not only lose the pockets of free time you used to enjoy, but also face the constant pressure to perform.

“Light can go dim and salt can go bland. To stop this from happening, we must keep the fire burning inside of us,” warned Timothy.

But how?

“When you recognise God as your father, you will lose all fear of the future,” he explained. 

Most of us give in to the voices of society out of fear – a fear of rejection, a fear of losing friends, a fear of judgment, a fear of getting fired, for instance – but if we build the foundation of our identities on the Rock, there will be nothing to fear.

REMEMBERING WHO WE BELONG TO 

As children of God, we must remember our spiritual DNA, said Timothy. This stands for:

• Divine truth
• Nurtured relationships
• Apostolic mission

Through the revelation of God’s Word in our life, our mind and intellect are rewired and our lives are transformed by His divine truth.

“Soaking in God’s Word daily invites His wisdom and presence into our lives and allows the way we think to be changed,” shared Timothy.

Having a community – such as a cell group or a few close friends you can share freely with – is also an important part of this DNA.

“Nurture relationships with people who we can bare our soul to and be wholly transparent with,” he said.

Li Ping experienced this first-hand. As a young entrepreneur, she found her business falling apart after making a few wrong decisions.

When Li Ping thought she had hit rock bottom, it was the authentic community she found in her church that supported her in finding her way into God’s purpose for her life.

She said: “Maintaining a sound influence around me helped me to walk out my calling in the marketplace.”

And lastly, our DNA reminds us of our apostolic mission.

“Each individual has been created by God for a specific purpose as part of the Great Commission, and God works with our unique gifts and passions to fulfil His plans,” said Timothy.

“Knowing that we each have a special role to play anchors us to a greater purpose beyond just our studies, or our jobs or other temporary accomplishments.”

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

How do we know who we’re called to be?

Timothy pointed the audience back to scripture.

“But seek first His kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)

“In seeking first His kingdom, we build a closer relationship with God who will then lead us into being the person He created us to be,” he explained.

Timothy went on to say that God has given each of us our own “assignment”, a word he prefers to use because unlike the word “calling”, assignments come in seasons.

“And when one is complete, another will soon follow. Our goal then is to discover and complete what God has assigned to us in each season.”

Rather than measuring our success and failures by the standards of the world, which inevitably requires us to compare our abilities and results with one another, we’re simply called to be faithful and obedient.

Jesus didn’t say in the Bible “well done, my good and successful servant”, quipped Timothy.

“He said: ‘well done, my good and faithful servant’ (Matthew 25:21). Keep your eyes focused on the real prize and don’t measure yourself by the world’s standards.”

As pioneers in their respective businesses, Timothy and Li Ping were also asked for their views on ambition. 

“The number one drive of ambition is comparison,” Timothy said. “The solution to ambition is to simply stop comparing.”

HOW DO WE RELATE TO OTHERS?

To be salt and light in our workplaces, we need to be authentic and anchored in Christ.

This authenticity also helps us be more effective witnesses, while still maintaining the boundary of professionalism.

“We don’t need to hide that there’s a God who loves us,” Timothy shared. “Just pray that God will continue to touch their hearts. It’s also okay to drop hints and bring God into your conversation.”

“From an employer’s point of view, bosses also appreciate you being real with them,” Li Ping added.

“As bosses, we also want to be liked, and we appreciate honest feedback that comes from a place of respect. That’s when a person really stands out for me, when they show me they actually care.”

Whether it’s in our schools or offices, it’s natural to feel compelled to please people. But as messengers of Christ, it’s important to remember that we were first called to please God. By remaining steadfast in our walk with God, our salt will not turn bland and our light will never dim. 

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