Many Christians turn to their faith as a source of solace. When they experience misconduct on the part of others, Christians often choose the path of forgiveness. They know that God may serve as their witness and may reward them for their struggles later.
For example, in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus discussed at length how those who are meek and forgiving here on Earth may receive spiritual rewards for their conduct later. Sometimes, devout Christians let their faith convince them that they do not need to seek justice here on Earth.
If they endure abuse or discrimination in the workplace, they may tell themselves that their suffering now may translate into heavenly rewards later. However, the lessons Christ offered during His life include recommendations that people make use of the systems in place for their protection.
The parable of the talents and workplace misconduct
The parable of the talents is a famous biblical story in which Jesus discusses a master giving three servants funds in the form of talents.
The ones who took risks ultimately secured the greatest return on the investment and are the ones praised the most. They properly analyzed the circumstances and took assertive actions based on their understanding of the world. The one who simply held onto what he was given, on the other hand, received nothing but castigation for being too lazy and fearful to act.
It’s clear from the parable that Jesus wants his followers to do something similar. God does not involve Himself in the minutia of day-to-day human life. It is therefore incumbent upon the faithful to make use of the systems and tools in place for their protection on Earth to make the most of what they have in life.
Workplace protection laws prohibit employers from discriminating against workers based on protected characteristics like their race, sex and religion. Instead of accepting mistreatment meekly and forgiving an employer, it is often better for workers to leverage the systems in place for their protection by taking legal action.
Not only does proper action protect that specific worker from misconduct, but it could reimburse them for the losses they have experienced because of unfair workplace behavior. Additionally, they also theoretically protect other employees who share the same characteristic from abuse in the future.
An action using what resources someone has available to them might pay major dividends in the form of personal protection from continued employer mistreatment and improved circumstances for others as well. Especially if someone feels conflicted about speaking up, realizing that it can be very Christ-like to advocate for not just oneself but everyone else who shares that same characteristic may give someone the courage they need to take action.