If your company asks you to do something that goes against your convictions, start with grace, humility and a genuine desire to help the company succeed. Examine your heart to make sure your objection really is a matter of conscience, then respectfully look for alternatives. But if you’re asked to do something God calls wrong, you must obey God rather than people and trust him with the consequences.
Start With Grace and Humility
Christians serve a higher authority than any boss or company, but that doesn’t give us license to be difficult. When you’re asked to do something you’re uncomfortable with, how you respond matters as much as what you decide. Approach the conversation with grace, humility and kindness, and make it clear that you want to serve the company well and help it prosper.
Colossians 3:23-24 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
When your work shows that you’re ultimately serving Jesus, you earn credibility. Strive to be excellent at your job, the kind of employee no one wants to lose. And if you believe a request won’t actually help the company, say so respectfully. Sometimes what looks like a moral conflict is really a business decision that deserves a thoughtful conversation.
Learn From Daniel
Daniel was a young man taken from his home and brought into the king’s court in Babylon. He was given a new name, a new education and a new diet, and some of what he was asked to do went against his convictions as a follower of God.
Daniel 1:8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.
Daniel was under tremendous pressure, but he resolved not to dishonor God. Notice how he handled it, though. He didn’t stage a protest; he respectfully asked for permission and proposed an alternative, and God caused the official to show him favor (Daniel 1:9). When you face a conflict at work, pray for wisdom and for God’s favor, and look for creative, respectful solutions.
Examine Your Heart and Fear God
Before you take a stand, take an honest look at your own motives. Sometimes we have “convictions of convenience,” objecting to tasks we simply don’t like while happily going along with other things that are questionable. Make sure you’re being consistent. It also helps to tell the difference between a personal matter of conscience and something that’s clearly unethical or illegal. For a matter of conscience, it may be wise to ask whether someone else could take on that particular responsibility.
Galatians 1:10 Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
When something truly crosses God’s line, the fear of losing your job can’t be the deciding factor. We are servants of Christ first, not just employees of a company. As Peter and the apostles told the authorities of their day, “We must obey God rather than human beings!” (Acts 5:29). Whatever it costs, God’s approval matters more than anyone else’s.
Respect Authority and Trust God
The Bible calls believers to submit to and respect those in authority over us (1 Peter 2:13-18). That means our default posture at work should be cooperation, not resistance. But Scripture is also realistic: choosing to follow God may sometimes lead to suffering and difficult consequences.
1 Peter 2:19-20 For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.
If standing for what’s right costs you something, God sees it, and he calls it commendable. You can trust him with your career, your finances and your future. Even when you don’t experience favor from people, you can rest in God’s favor, and that’s what matters most.
The Takeaway
What if your company asks you to do something you don’t agree with? Respond with grace and humility, examine your motives, and look for respectful alternatives. When a request truly conflicts with God’s word, obey God rather than people, and trust him with whatever comes next.
