Seven-Day Practical Faith Blog: Forgiveness in the Workplace

I couldn't believe what I was reading. I had received an email blasting my development team and me over an incident that happened in our computer lab. The email was written by a test manager I had never met, yet it seemed like a personal attack. And worse, the test manager, Andy, had seemingly copied as many people as he could.

I was furious. For one thing, I didn't even know what Andy was referring to. When I checked with my team, it didn't seem like anything more than a territorial misunderstanding - certainly not a topic worth sending to a wide distribution.

I closed my office door and paced and fumed for a couple of hours. I composed responses, then deleted them. By lunchtime, I had decided the best course of action was no action at all. I didn't reply.

Three weeks later, my manager told me of a reorganization where I would be paired with Andy. I told him I didn't know if I could work with Andy and related the email incident. He told me to give it a try and see what happened.

What happened surprised me. Andy turned out to be my favorite test manager ever.

We never discussed the email. I forgave him as I got to know him and realized we both shared a passion for our teams - a passion that caused him to lash out irresponsibly, but at least I knew his heart. Our personal teamwork was terrific, and our teams worked well and productively together.

What if I had written the email I wanted to send?

In his book, "Sunday Scaries," recent podcast guest John Englehart Jr. discusses forgiveness in the workplace, writing, "One of the most powerful ways we can keep Jesus at the center in a secular workplace is by refusing to become a grudge-carrier. That doesn't mean we pretend something didn't happen. . . But it does mean we refuse to let bitterness become our personality."

Englehart goes on to say, "Forgiveness is releasing the right to get even. It's refusing to become the judge and executioner in your own heart."

When I hear people describe a frustrating workplace, it often centers around difficult people. I recently counseled a friend who was fed up to HERE with a co-worker. To his credit, my friend wanted to know how to approach the situation as a Christian.

As Christians, let's keep our collective cool in troublesome work spaces. Let's forgive and carry no grudges. Now, forgiveness is not reconciliation; forgiveness takes one person, while reconciliation takes two. While we aim for reconciliation, the first step is forgiveness. So, let's not become grudge-carriers. Let's prevent bitterness from festering in our hearts. Let's release our right to get even. Let's remember Jesus's words in Matthew 6:14-15 (NIV).

"For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."

If you're in a small group or adult Sunday School class and you're looking for Advent curriculum, it's never too soon to search it out. Please watch the first lesson of my Advent video study, "The Misfits of Christmas," for free on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtH7tOLRpPc. This is a fun yet meaningful study to get your ready for Christmas and to propel your faith journey over the following year.