Latest / Prayer Before Work / Is Your Co-Worker Self-Medicating? - Prayer Before Work
Transcript
- Sean Graver: Now there's something going on with someone you work with, and you're not exactly sure what it is, but you've noticed the personality shift, the smell sometimes, the way they go out at lunch and come back different. The excuses that don't quite add up. And you're not trying to diagnose anyone, but you're not imagining it either. Well, good morning. I'm Sean. This is Prayer Before Work. And The apostle Paul writes in Galatians six one, brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness, keep watch on yourself lest you too be tempted. So this is very practical and an honest thing that Paul is telling us. He's not saying to ignore it, and he's not saying to condemn it. He's saying restore and do it gently. And while you're at it, by the way, stay humble about yourself in the process. Because watching someone struggle from a distance is one of the harder things about being human at work. You're not close enough to know for certain, and yet you don't necessarily have the authority to intervene, and you don't want to embarrass someone over something that maybe you've misread. But here's what Paul's instruction makes clear. Indifference? That's not the answer. There's something in you that sees this person's humanity. Something telling you that this matters. And this that instinct is worth listening to. I mean, what does gentle restoration look like from where you're standing? It might be as simple as asking them like how they're actually doing and but but with a lot of meaning behind it. Not just casual. It means also not confronting, but just creating space for honesty. It might be checking whether your company has an employee assistance program and subtly mentioning it if the moment is right. It might mean saying something to someone in a position to actually help, but not out of judgment, but out of genuine care. And don't miss Paul's last line. Keep watch on yourself. Compassion in hard situations can cost you something. So don't carry this entirely alone. Let's pray. Father, we're watching someone struggle and we don't know what to do. Give us eyes that see past the behavior to the person underneath it. Give us a spirit of gentleness, not judgment, not distance, not not like a false helpless or helpfulness, but just a genuine care for someone who might be drowning. I mean, show me if there's something I'm supposed to do. And if I'm supposed to simply pray, then I'm praying now. Bring help to this person. In Jesus name. Amen. Go make today count.