Spiritual Foundations of Leadershipනියැදිය

The 4 Missions of A Marketplace Ambassador

Every Christian called to the marketplace has the responsibility to express his faith and to be salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16); in other words, to be a marketplace ambassador. These biblical perspectives imply infusing life, change, and influence into the prevailing reality of the professional and business world. They imply the expression of someone who is clear about the purposes he must intentionally fulfill. Below, adapted and expanded from author Ken Eldred, are four essential missions of every marketplace ambassador:

• Mission AT Work. This mission is about making Christ known. Talking about God, about His attributes, His goodness, and what He has done for us and in us with those we share daily, is a privilege almost exclusively for those who work in the marketplace. It means consistently sharing faith wisely, respectfully, and creatively with coworkers, clients, and suppliers.
• Mission OF Work. This mission is about working with excellence. Work is an excellent way to put into practice the skills and talents God has given us. That's why it's important to do it well, with effort, diligence, and ensure that the resulting products and services improve the quality of life for people and the ecosystem.
• Mission TO Work. This mission is about generating transformation. Changing the work environment to foster organizational well-being. When faced with corruption, conflict, mistreatment, inconsistent policies, lack of competitiveness, and other issues, corporate ambassadors don't settle; they advocate with wisdom, temperance, patience, tolerance, and appreciation to transform it.
• Mission FROM work. This mission is about being generous. It is not just about giving, but it is also about being generous in essence and creating a culture of generosity. When businesses create wealth, they become a source of blessing to stakeholders, and, through them, to society. Wealth creation is as important as wealth distribution (reinvestments and generosity), and both need to be learned and exercised, and need to flow from the generous hearts of leaders.

Being a marketplace ambassador is about ceasing to be "undercover agents" and deciding to fulfill these four missions, thus creating a comprehensive approach to daily leadership. Because he who does not know the dimensions of his mission, how can he fulfill it?

Reflection:

• In what ways can I better embrace my role as Christ’s ambassador in my workplace?
• Identify one relationship or aspect of work where you can begin to more intentionally live out any of the four missions.