The Christian Working Woman - Proverbs for Work Integrity – 5

Presented by Lauren Stibgen One who waters will himself be watered. Walking in a manner worthy of the Lord is what the Proverbs are all about! Shifting our focus from what God hates in Proverbs six to Proverbs 11:25b which can be summarized by a secular proverb, “what goes around comes around.” I like the biblical version much better, one who waters will himself be watered. This is a beautiful thought to carry with you to work each day as we think about others around us. Watering is not to be left to managers and leaders in the workplace. And, after all, this proverb benefits both the waterer and the watered. Let’s think about the results of watering for a moment. Whether rain falls from the sky or we are using another method to water something like a houseplant, the result is growth, and in some cases new life. Plants can bear beauty in flowers, or vegetables and fruits for us to eat. I also think about when it rains in the desert. Not only do plants sprout up, but wadies (or dried up riverbeds) come to life with animals and even aquatic life like frogs that have been dormant waiting for the rain. Who or what needs watering at work? Sometimes we don’t even realize things need water! I have had two different conversations with fellow Christian working women this year where I suggested they water what otherwise seemed dead. More specifically, one woman wanted more affirmation from her manager. She knew she was trusted by the work that was given to her but never received feedback. When I asked if she thought her manager received affirmation, the answer was probably not. I suggested that she “water” her manager with some positive feedback. You see, some people aren’t in the practice of watering until they are watered themselves! She stated this watering had very positive results! The other woman felt the same about receiving no feedback. So, she decided to write notes of gratitude to all her colleagues. She watered an entire department! While too soon to know if she will be watered in return, the initial responses were very positive. Who can you water at work with kind words or an act of service? God promises you will be watered in return. The Proverbs can help remind us that God wants us to walk with integrity at work. Clearly there are things he doesn’t want us to do. But there are things we can do to increase our integrity at work each day!