Promotion from above

Context: Daniel 1-3

It is God that qualifies (Colossians 1:12) and promotes his children, regardless of the land or workplace. It is rather common for non Christians and Christians alike to throw people under the bus, or be busy finding ungodly ways to get promoted. Eye service, back biting, working endless hours, and the list goes on of things people do in order to get promoted or "favored" by supervisors at work, but true promotion comes from above. Christians do not need to behave like the world because we are seeking promotion at work; we need to remember we are working for the Lord (Colossians 3:23-24) in whatever we are doing.  He will promote us in due season, if we do not waiver from him and if we avoid crafting out ungodly ways of getting to the top (Jeremiah 29:11).

The book of Daniel chapters 1-3 describes how Daniel and his friends got promoted to high positions in a strange land; this story shows us that the promotion we seek comes from above. What was common to Daniel and his friends? They refused to defile themselves with the king's meat; how does that translate to today? Christians have absolutely no need to play up to their managers or supervisors, because we have only one true boss, God. Managers and supervisors can easily ask us to do things that compromise our Christian faith, and it could even be a standard in that workplace. If it is the way of doing business that is against the Word of God, then we need to walk away from that job and trust the Lord for another. The bible tells us to present ourselves as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to God... We need to comport ourselves in workplaces in a way that is pleasing to God and not in a way to feel accepted by co-workers. We cannot go around talking about people and back stabbing others and expect God to promote us. When we partake in backstabbing, judging, and condemning others, we just denied ourselves the privilege of God fighting for us when others come against us - remember that when there is a seed time, an harvest time is sure (Genesis 8:22).

This is not advocating not doing our  jobs and going around preaching at work; that would be robbery because they are not paying us to preach – they are paying us to work for them. This article is advocating doing the work in a way that will please the Father of light in whom there is no shadow of turning. Christians are actually to be the best at what we do; we can see an example in the life of Daniel. We can be friendly without being a friend of the world; remembering that friendship with the world is enmity with God (James 4:4).

Daniel and his friends sought the face of God in regards to challenges in their Jobs (Daniel 2). Instead of crying, losing our peace, and complaining endlessly about our jobs, Christians should go to the father in prayer. When Daniel did this in regards to the king’s dream, he not only got the dream and the interpretation to the dream, he got promoted because he solved a problem no one else in the kingdom could. He prayed in place of complaining about the challenges of his work. Not only did he get promoted, but God became exalted in a strange land because of his manifestation through Daniel. God wants to be glorified in all of our workplaces, but we need to invite him into what we do at work and ask him for innovative solutions to challenges and problems at work. In the end, we get the problem solved in ways that amaze our colleagues; we get promoted and God is glorified. People at work will start asking questions on how we have the best solutions to problems and we can use that opportunity to tell them about Jesus. 

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did not compromise their stand in God to keep their positions (Daniel 3). When the three Hebrew men refused to bow to the idol the king had made, they took a stand that could have cost them not only their jobs, but their lives. What compromise are we into at work? What is that thing we are doing that we know is wrong but are doing to keep the Job? That is what is delaying our promotion. Stop it now! Stop it now! Stop it now in Jesus name. That compromise could be costing that very thing we are looking for. What we may have "benefited" from this compromise cannot be compared to the promotion that comes from above. Let us stand out for God and not compromise our faith to buy the favor of our managers, supervisors... Our promotion comes from above.