What do we do with information received over the “gossip hotline”—especially when it involves a new employer, and your Christian reputation could be at stake? As I filtered through the many requests of the young female caller, that question turned out to be the lump in the mix that needed to be sifted a bit further.
Jan* was super excited about her new job, which would allow her to work remotely for a Christian ministry. She had been looking for a work-from-home job for some time, and this seemed to be a perfect fit, and now she needed to invest in the installation of high-speed Internet to make it possible. Yet, something was deeply disturbing her. Through the grapevine, she had just heard that her new employer—an independent ministry—might be bashing church leadership.
“Well, I’m not positive if they said ‘bashing’ or ‘backing,’ but it was relayed in hushed tones, as if to be a negative comment,” she said, as a deep sigh escaped her lips.
“You don’t have enough information, Jan. In fact, gossip is completely unreliable information. You need to question your employer about their position. Get the facts straight from them, and then make your decision.”
“But, what if they are out-of-step with the Church? I need this job. Would it be wrong for me to work for someone if I don’t agree with their principles? Am I putting my reputation on the line by being associated with them?”
“Jan, I’m from Texas, and we have a saying that goes back to the days of the old West. When a cowboy signed on to work for a rancher, the saying was that he was ‘riding for the brand.’ Have you ever heard that?”
“Yes, but I don’t really understand what it means.”
“Well, it’s a statement of absolute loyalty. A ‘brand’ is a rancher’s trademark. When a cowboy hired on with a rancher, he was expected to ‘ride for the brand’—meaning he was committed and dedicated to work out the mission of his employer, and to be a good steward of his resources. The cowboy’s identity and reputation were associated with his employer.”
“Oh, J. D., I don’t want to ruin my Christian reputation by representing an organization that is working against the Church. I don’t agree with that. What a dilemma I’m in now.”
“Jan, as I said earlier, you don’t have enough information. You can’t rely on gossip since it’s not confirmed as truth. You don’t know where or why this report originated. So speak with your new employer, and give them a chance to answer the accusation. It could be a fabricated story based on unreliable reports.”
“But, what if it’s true, J. D.? What would you do?”
“Jan, I cannot tell you what to do. That’s between you and God, so we’ll pray about this. But I can tell you what I would do. As a Christian, I’m an ambassador for Christ and I ‘ride for the brand’ of Christ, committed to His mission. I want to walk in His footsteps and represent Him well, so I align myself with His people, who are likewise dedicated to the same goals. I realize people will consider me to be an ambassador for the ministry I represent, and it’s important to me that there’s no conflict between my employer’s values and my Christian values.”
“J. D., I see your point. I need more information. I need to talk to my employer and discover their position. I wouldn’t want to be an ambassador for a ministry that is not walking in Christ’s footsteps.”
Jan and I prayed earnestly together, and I trust the Lord will honor our request to bring the truth to light and direct her steps.
I’m sharing her story with you because it highlights two important points. First, what do we do with information received over the gossip hotline? How should we respond? God condemns gossip as unfitting for Christians (see Romans 1:29; 2 Corinthians 12:20). We should never act on gossip, or repeat it. We can’t always stop someone from sharing gossip with us, but we can quickly identify their motives by asking three questions: What is the source of your information? Why are you telling me this? and, May I quote you?
Further, what do we do if our employer’s values are at odds with our Christian values? We pray, pray, pray! Remember, as a Christian, we are ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). Whatever we do, wherever we go, we are representatives of Christ. As such, we should ride for His brand—and His brand alone.
*Pseudonym
