As Christians, we should live and breathe Jesus, and we should confidently lift up the cross each and every day.

But that is a much different picture than most Christians paint in the workplace.

When I tell church friends I’m going into journalism, the first response I get is, “Great! We need Christian journalists.”

But that is because they either want me to write about the church for publicity reasons, or witness to the “heathens” at liberal newspapers.

I’ll never gain credibility at newspapers that way though, and if I don’t have their respect, how am I supposed to reach them for Christ?

I have a much different philosophy on how to best integrate my faith into the workplace.

Christ must be preached, and the truth must be known, but we can’t beat it into people. We can’t force conversions. That might be the traditional religious way of doing things, but I don’t think it is Christ’s way.

The people He saved knew Him by His love, just like the world should know us by our kindness and compassion.

“People are far more likely to respond to a kind act than a judging word,” Cornerstone junior Eric Hand said. “The workplace like, any situation, is an opportunity for Christians to show Christ by example through their good lives.”

But most of the time we take more of a religious approach than a Christian approach, because it’s been burned into our brains. We live holier-than-thou lifestyles. We focus too much on theology, and not enough on people. And our conversations always seem to drift toward religion.

Put yourself in their shoes for a moment: How would you feel if one of your friends constantly talked about you fixing failures that you don’t even think you have? He wouldn’t be your friend for very long.

Religion is an uncomfortable topic for many unbelievers, and unfortunately they will quickly dismiss us as friends if we try to push it on them. Then, how are we supposed to reach them for Christ?

Yes, they need to know the truth. But reaching them for Christ isn’t a simple and fast project. It is about building relationships. It takes time. It takes authenticity. And eventually they will know it by the way we live. Then they’ll come asking. Not through forceful religion, but through Christ’s kindness.

It is the kindness that’s seen in working that extra shift for a colleague so they can go home early and celebrate their kid’s birthday. The work ethic we put in each day. The honesty and fairness we display.

“You should live out your faith, but there comes a point when you do have to be vocal about it too,” CU senior Donny Irving said. “I don’t think living out your faith is enough, because then how would anyone hear the Gospel?”

That’s true. While we can’t be overly forceful, it does take balance. And Christianity can’t be contained to a box of do’s and don’t’s. It should flourish in our lives so vibrantly that people respect who we are.

That’s how we win souls. And that’s how I plan to integrate my faith in the workplace.