By Susan
I never thought of myself as someone who would get tangled in office drama. I’ve always been conflict-averse—the kind of person who avoids arguments and just wants everyone to get along. Work can be tough. People have different personalities, pressures, and ways of doing things—conflict is inevitable. There are times when I have to deal with difficult colleagues at work. I vented, criticized, and later regretted it. That moment made me rethink, as a Christian, how should I really respond when things get tense at work?
Why Conflict Happens
The Bible doesn’t sugarcoat human nature.
James 4:1–2 says:
“What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight.”
At work, this plays out in small ways—someone takes credit for your idea, a manager plays favorites, or a teammate drops the ball. Our first instinct is often to defend ourselves, get even, or complain.
But the real root of conflicts is our pride and desire—in the Bible, this is the sin of coveting. When those desires aren’t met, frustration takes over, and that leads to quarrels and fights. We all want to be right, respected, and rewarded. We fight for credit and promotions. The world tells us, “Stand your ground! Don’t let anyone push you around!”
But what did Jesus say? He said something radical.
The Call to Be Peacemakers
In Matthew 5:9, Jesus says:
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
Peacemaking isn’t just about being a mediator to dissolve conflict, but truly making or creating peace in our workplace.
You might ask, Why bother?
In the corporate world—full of conflict, self-preservation, competition, and stress—if we can show love, patience, understanding, and kindness, it can be a powerful testimony. In fact, peacemaking demonstrates Christ’s love in practical ways.
Turning the Other Cheek—Literally
In Matthew 5, Jesus tells His followers:
“If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.” (Matthew 5:39)
At first, it sounded like weakness. Let people walk all over you? No thanks! But then, I learned something fascinating. In Jesus’ time, a slap on the right cheek wasn’t just a hit—it was a backhanded insult, a way to demean someone. By turning the other cheek, you forced the aggressor to either stop or treat you as an equal. It wasn’t passive; it was disruptive love.
Giving More Than What’s Taken
Jesus takes it a step further:
“If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.” (Matthew 5:40)
In ancient Israel, the law protected a person’s outer cloak because it was often their only blanket at night. By offering both garments, you exposed the injustice while showing radical generosity.
Going the Extra Mile
Jesus didn’t stop there. He said:
“If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.” (Matthew 5:41)
Roman soldiers could legally force civilians to carry their gear for one mile. But going a second mile? That was unexpected. It wasn’t about submission—it was about breaking the cycle.
Jesus taught us to go beyond the common “eye for an eye” societal view or value system. What if, instead of snapping back at a rude email, we responded with kindness? What if, instead of holding a grudge against that coworker who took credit of your idea, we chose to let it go—not because we’re pushovers, but because we’re following a different value system?
Loving the “Enemy”
Matthew 5:44:
“Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: We cannot be a peacemaker unless we truly love God and love people. It’s not about diplomatic speeches or surface-level tolerance. Real peacemaking flows from a heart that desires reconciliation—first between people, and ultimately, between people and God.
I had to ask myself: Do I love God enough to want His peace in my workplace? Can I love those who had wronged me?
Peacemaking isn’t political; it’s personal. It proves the gospel isn’t just a theory—it’s power that changes how we work. When we love the “unlovable,” we don’t just resolve conflicts; we point to the God who reconciled us while we were still His enemies.
Breaking My Own Prejudices
God has a funny way of stretching us. I used to have biasness against Indian colleagues—there were many incidents in the past where I had to deal with uncomfortable situations with them, and I was frustrated by the cultural differences, the noise, the chaos.
Jesus spent His life breaking barriers like this—talking to Samaritans, touching lepers, dining with outcasts. I realized that to love someone, you need to go deep and develop a relationship with them. Of course the differences will still be there, but if you have genuine love for each other, it will break all the barriers. And you’ll find that the love is reciprocated.
I didn’t understand why God always put many Indians in my team or as my colleagues. But the more I dealt with them, the more I actually grew to love them. One of my Indian colleagues became my best friend at work (Surprise!). He is loud, yes, but also one of the most generous people I’ve ever worked with. We did not just collaborated well at work, but we also have great hang outs and meals together. He even gifted me a beautiful Punjabi suit (worth way more than I’d ever spend on a coworker!).
Amazingly, my prejudice cracked, just like that.
What If We Really Lived This Way?
I’m still far from perfect. There are days when I stumble—when I indulge in gossip, harbour resentment, and opt for pettiness instead of peace.. But I’m learning. As James 3:17–18 says, godly wisdom is “peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, without partiality and without hypocrisy.“ When we live this way, we stand out—not because we preached our faith, but because they noticed something different in us.
That’s the power of radical love.