A Surprising Conversation at Work

I had a brutal week at work last week, which included an overnight stay of business travel and jam-packed days filled with meetings, conflict resolutions, escalations, and downpours of incoming Blackberry messages and e-mails coming from every which way. There were conversations and negotiations within colleagues in my company as well as with those outside my company. I hardly had time to think - only time to react.

On Friday, I was in my office when one of the administrative assistants in my group (though not my admin) stopped by my office and asked me if she could ask me a question "about an assignment" she had. Assuming that she wanted to get direction about how to best organize a summary for which she was asked to create a PowerPoint or information about a strategic initiative I was involved in, I told her that I'd be happy to answer any question she had.

So still standing at the doorway of my office, she asked, "What are the consequences of living outside the Word of God?"

To give a little context, I had found out a few months ago that this admin was a Christian by noticing some faith and inspiration-themed paraphernalia in her cubicle, so I introduced myself as a Christian and would dialogue with her on occasion about our faith. When I would drop by her cubicle in order to schedule a meeting with a colleague that she supported, I'd share about something that challenged me about a recent sermon. It wasn't contrived - just a great way to share something the Lord put on my heart that hopefully was mutually edifying.

So I invited her to take a seat in my office, and we talked a little about her question. We talked a little about Romans, and how while there is grace when the Spirit convicts us appropriately of sin, there's a danger that our constant sin may risk almost a numbness and blindness that we are dangerously no longer affected by it, even though it destroys us. So even as those who are free in Christ, we enslave and ensnare ourselves.

I guess it's clear that now that her "assignment" was something from her church fellowship or Bible study. I'm guessing this wasn't something given to her by our group Vice President. It obviously wasn't like the rest of the conversations I had a work that week. It was probably the most enjoyable.