The Christian Working Woman

Mary Lowman
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The Christian Working Woman with Mary Lowman exists to encourage, equip and empower workplace Christians in the marketplace.

  1. 1d ago

    How Daniel Handled Pressure

    I want to focus on three key pressure points Daniel faced—and three of his friends did as well—as they were suddenly placed in a culture totally foreign to their faith in the God of Israel, the true God.   Pressure Point #1: A Change of Names and Diet  In Daniel one, we read how he and other Israelites, the brightest and the best, were taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar and brought to Babylon. They were assigned new Babylonian names. Daniel became Belteshazzar. And they were instructed to eat the royal diet, which was contrary to the dietary laws God had given the Israelites.   Nebuchadnezzar’s plan was to transform these bright men into pagans, remove their Jewish identity, and get them to conform to the culture they were in. They would be more useful to him that way, he thought; they would do their best work and be more loyal to him if they abandoned their heritage and their faith.  Could a name change achieve that purpose? No, the only way Daniel and his companions would ever forsake their heritage, identity, and faith in the true God, would be a complete change of heart and mind. And a name doesn’t affect the heart.  How did Daniel respond to this name change? We see no indication he objected in any way. This is where the phrase, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” is true. “Call me what you like,” is Daniel’s and his three friends’ responses, because it wouldn’t change who they were.  But how does Daniel respond to the dietary change? This does affect him, because he does not intend to abandon the dietary laws of his faith. For this he is willing to take a stand.  What do I take from this?   Pick your fights. There are some things worth standing up for and resisting, and some are not. Many times, we bring pressure and stress into our lives by allowing ourselves to be overly concerned about things which have no lasting value and make no real difference.   We must learn to distinguish between issues of integrity and issues of priority. For example, suppose you’re facing an assignment which seems ludicrous to you, a waste of time and resources, an exercise in futility. You must pick your fight. You may determine the damage and wastefulness of the assignment is of such magnitude you must confront it. Or you may realize it’s not worth the fight—it’s too small. This is not an issue of integrity but one of priority.  On the other hand, if an assignment involves a lowering of your own personal standards of integrity, an abuse of company policy, or unfair service to a customer, now you are facing an issue of integrity. This is a fight worth taking on. How you approach it is another issue. But to stay true to biblical principles, fight you must.  Picking your fight doesn’t mean you come on in a combative way. Proverbs 16:21 says: The wise in heart are called discerning, and gracious words promote instruction. Pleasant words usually get you a lot further than words of confrontation or judgment.   How many times have you seen a good idea blown by the way it was presented? How many times have you watched a situation blow up into a major issue when, with a different approach, it could have been handled without a major conflict?   On the other hand, how many times have you seen someone back off a needed fight because he didn’t have the stomach for it? He wimped out rather than stand up for what he knew was right.  In the pressure points of our lives, particularly on our jobs, we are continually faced with situations where we must pick our fights. We need God’s wisdom to do this well, and thankfully, he promises to give us wisdom if we ask.   Pressure Point #2: Speaking Truth Under Pressure  In Daniel two, we learn how Nebuchadnezzar had a strange dream none of his astrologers could interpret. He asked his wise men not only to interpret the dream, but also to tell him what the dream was. Talk about mission impossible! And you think you have a tough boss!  In frustration, retribution, and foolishness, Nebuchadnezzar condemns all the wise men to death because they can’t interpret his dream. Daniel goes to bat to save the lives of all these people, recognizing how truly foolish and wrong it is to kill them. And then, after soliciting prayer from his friends, God reveals the dream to Daniel. He approaches the king, declaring he can tell the dream and its interpretation, and he does.  Can you put yourself in his shoes? God has revealed the dream to him, and it is very bad news for Nebuchadnezzar. He can save himself and all those wise men by telling the dream, but does he have to give him the interpretation, which Nebuchadnezzar won’t like? Couldn’t he fudge it a bit, when he describes this large statue and its meaning?   I would imagine he must have thought, “Either way I’m going to be killed. He will kill me if I don’t tell him the dream, but when I do tell him the interpretation of this dream, he’s going to kill me anyway.”  Yet, despite the pressure he is under, he chooses to tell the truth, as unwelcome as it might be. This really gets to where we live, doesn’t it? Do you tell the truth regardless of the consequences? Do you do the right thing when it may not bring you any good—or it may harm you? In our own pressure points, where we must decide to tell it like it is or put some spin on it, are we, like Daniel, true to the truth, regardless of the consequences?  In Ephesians 6:14 we are told to Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist…. Do you leave home each day with this belt on? It’s invisible but it’s obvious. When you wear the belt of truth, when you are committed to truthfulness, no matter what, it sets you apart from most of the people around you, and it takes a lot of stress out of your life. You don’t have to worry about being found out or remembering exactly what you said. The truth will, as Jesus said, set you free.   Pressure Point #3: Facing Jealous Coworkers  In chapter six, we read the familiar story of Daniel and the lions’ den. By this time Daniel was much older, at least in his 80s, and verse three says, Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.   Do good work and you’re bound to generate jealousy. Have you found this to be true? Hopefully your good work will be recognized by those in authority, as was true for Daniel, but likely it will cause some jealousy as well. Is there anything you can do to keep this from happening?   Daniel didn’t seem to be able to. His coworkers tried for a time to find grounds for charges against him in the way he did his work, but the Bible says: They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent (Daniel 6:4).   An old preacher I knew used to say, “Do right ‘til the stars fall out.” Just do the right thing, and the right thing is to work with all your heart, do the best work you can, without corruption or negligence. Obviously the way in which we work, the attitude we have toward others, the way we treat people will have some bearing on how others treat us, but there are people who will hate and despise you because you do things right, because you have a good attitude, because you go the extra mile. It is true sometimes the more you do it right, the more some will look for ways to do you harm. Thankfully these people are usually few and far between, but it only takes one to cause you a great deal of grief and indeed, a great deal of potential harm.   How do you deal with jealous coworkers? Proverbs 27:4 says, Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming, but who can stand before jealousy? If you’ve ever had to face jealousy—people who were jealous of you simply because you did the right thing—then you can relate to this proverb. Who can stand before jealousy? That green-eyed monster is ferocious.  Daniel’s peers were so jealous they devised a plan to get him killed, a clever plan that would make them look good to the big boss and get rid of their hated rival.  Don’t be surprised at what jealous people will do, and how cleverly they will try to disguise their jealousy. Daniel could not stand before jealousy, as it turns out. He couldn’t stop these malicious coworkers who were out to destroy him. They got their decree signed by Darius: anyone who prayed to any other god or man other than King Darius for the next thirty days would be thrown into the lions’ den—and it was an irrevocable decree.   So, at this pressure point Daniel is faced with a choice: to compromise his faith and abandon his daily practice of praying to his God three times a day, with his windows open toward Jerusalem for all to see or face those hungry lions. Did you realize the decree simply said you couldn’t worship anyone else for this thirty-day period? So, I’m thinking he could have shut the windows and prayed privately, or just figured, hey, thirty days is nothing; God will understand. I’ll show these guys they can’t catch me in their evil scheme. I just won’t pray openly for thirty days. Isn’t it interesting that his coworkers must have been certain he would not compromise his commitment to his God. They knew he would choose the lions’ den!  Daniel never pleaded his case with Darius. He never bad-mouthed his evil coworkers. He never protested. He simply refused to change his prayer schedule; he refused to compromise.   Most likely you’ll never have to face lions or threatened death for standing firm to your faith. But you could face the death of a job, a relationship, or a career plan. And that could be very costly for you. So, if you’re facing some pressure points now—some areas where you must decide if you will stand true to your commitment to Jesus as your Lord and Savior—think about Daniel. Ask

  2. 2d ago

    How do I Lament Well? – 5

    The Bible never denies or ignores human suffering and emotions. You’ll find throughout Scripture God understands and provides a sacred dignity to anger and despair, to injustice and sorrow. Christians are invited to share their grief, not to cover up and “fake fine” and hide their struggles. That’s why it’s really important for all of us to use this spiritual means of lamenting when we find ourselves overwhelmed by life. I’ve encouraged you to lament to God when you’re baffled and worried. Ask your questions, express your outrage, tell God just how you feel. That’s where a lament begins. Lament is often living in the reality of our faith journey—“the already but not yet” aspect of our faith. It’s the tension between knowing God is good, he has good plans for you, he is sovereign and in control, while living in a world that is terribly broken and often very evil. Lamenting is an acknowledgement of that tension, sitting in the grief and pain of the present while looking forward to the promise of the future, our eternity with Christ. You will note the Psalms of lament always end with a reaffirmation of trust in God. For example, Psalm 13 begins with how long, oh Lord, will you forget me and begs God for deliverance. But here is how David closed that Psalm of lament: But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the LORD, because he has dealt bountifully with me (Psalm 13:5-6). He sets his heart and his mind to trust in God’s love, to rejoice in his salvation, and to sing to the Lord. Let me encourage you to follow his example. Pour out the fear, the anger, the confusion, and all the questions you have to God, with total honestly. But don’t end there. Always, always confess that you still trust God; you will rejoice again, and recite all you have to be thankful for. Jesus invites you to exchange your heavy burden for his light one because he can handle the heavy stuff; you can’t. Leave your heavy burden with Jesus; take his light one. He’ll always walk through it with you and bring you out to a good place. You can trust him.

  3. 3d ago

    How do I Lament Well? – 4

    I’m examining Christian lamenting. You could describe it as a prayer language, which God encourages us to use when we’re in deep grief or anger or confusion. But this desperate prayer, as raw and painful as it may be, intentionally maintains trust in God’s character. Some have characterized lamenting as “crying human but lamenting Christian.” I have a note taped to my desk that says, “Today I will not complain about anything!” It’s there to remind me complaining in general is not good, not biblical, and should not be the language of a Christ-follower. Yet when David was hiding in a cave, running for his life from King Saul, he begins Psalm 142 like this: With my voice I cry out to the Lord; with my voice I plead for mercy to the Lord. I pour out my complaint before him; I tell my trouble before him (Psalm 142:1-2). He complains! Guess he never saw a sign like mine! But here’s the thing: David is lamenting to the Lord about a very grievous, frightening situation. There’s a difference in biblical laments and sinful complaints. Remember when the children of Israel were in the wilderness, having been miraculously rescued from slavery in Egypt. And what did they do? They complained! They complained about the food, about missing what they had in Egypt, about not having water, and they complained to Moses and to God. That is sinful complaining. I’ve done more than my share of it, too, haven’t you? From complaining about the weather to having to deal with a difficult coworker or not getting a raise, complaints can truly become our language. We have to be intentional about not complaining and griping, and truly learning to give thanks in everything, as the Bible says. But a biblical lament is not a complaint against God; it is an appeal to God, and it’s based on trust in who God is, on what he’s done for you in the past, on his very character. Lamenting should move you along toward finding that peace that passes understanding, even when your questions are not answered. Complaining, on the other hand, will keep you mired in selfish attitudes and bring you down.

  4. 4d ago

    How do I Lament Well? – 3

    I’m examining the need for and the benefit of learning when and how to lament. Unfortunately, lamenting is sometimes seen as spiritual immaturity. You just haven’t learned to trust God, some would say. I want to reassure you God has given us the green light to lament when it is needed. He invites you to pour out your heart to him, no holds barred, and express the deepest sorrow and grief you’re going through. And a lament always begins with talking to God first. In Psalm 13 David began with questions—almost accusations to God from his broken heart and his puzzled mind. He prayed, consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death… And again, in Psalm 88:2, let my prayer come before you; incline your ear to my cry! What questions of lament do you need to bring to God today? It could be you’ve never really allowed yourself to verbalize your questions—the ones that sound like accusations. Like: Lord, I don’t understand why you haven’t healed my friend. I know you can, but you haven’t. Or, Lord, I know it is your will for my son to be born again, but even though he knows the truth, he refuses to accept you. Why? Or, Lord, you know how totally unfair and abusive this situation is at work, and I’ve prayed and prayed about it. Why haven’t you changed it? Maybe those are the kind of questions you’ve thought, but you’ve never asked God. You probably won’t get answers to all your questions—God is not obligated to answer all our questions—but you will find comfort from bringing those questions to God. Remember, don’t neglect the Word of God which will give you guidance and comfort. Talk to God and let him talk to you through his Word. You probably won’t feel like reading the Bible or even taking time to pray. That’s because when you’re in the midst of a troubling situation, your emotions become jumbled messes sometimes. But don’t let the enemy keep you from reading the Bible and praying your prayer of lament. Lean into what you know is true, not to your unreliable feelings.

  5. 5d ago

    How do I Lament Well? – 2

    Is lamenting absent from your prayer life? Jesus said in this world we will have tribulation, and that confirms the need we have to learn what lament is and how we should use it. If you don’t know how to prayerfully lament when those tribulations come your way, you are missing a marvelous way God has provided for us to deal with hard times and dark days. How should we lament? There is no one right way; for each of us it will be somewhat different and personal. But there is a common thread in the prayers of lament in the Psalms, and that is, you take your lament to God and sometimes it’s to God only. Be sure you go to God first with your lament. Often laments begin with a question, like Psalm 13: How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me (Psalm 13:1-2)? Actually, David had five questions of the Lord—five unanswered questions. Five things that puzzled him greatly; five things he wonders if God even knows or cares. Ever been there? Your lament might sound more like how long, Lord, before my prodigal child comes to you? Or, how long will I have to endure this physical problem? Or, how long do I have to put up with a mate who is not true to you or to me? Or how long must I bear this unbearable pain of the loss of my child or parent or mate? Whatever questions you have, your prayer of lament is your opportunity to express what’s going on inside of you, even in stark, angry words. Maybe that’s what you need to do even today—begin your lament to God. You don’t have to sugar-coat it or worry about hurting his feelings. Tell God exactly what’s going on inside you. He knows already, of course, but you need to put it into words and pour it out to God.

  6. 6d ago

    How do I Lament Well?

    Sometimes it seems the Bible gives us conflicting guidance. For example, in Philippians 4:4 the Apostle Paul exhorts us to rejoice in the Lord always, and in case we didn’t hear him the first time, he repeats, again I say rejoice. Christ-followers should be rejoicing people. That would seem to say we should always be positive, have smiles on our faces, and never feel sad. But then in Romans, the same Apostle Paul tells us to weep with those who weep. King David in the Psalms repeatedly poured out his rawest grief and deepest questions to God. Over half of the Psalms are called Psalms of lament. Will the Lord reject forever? Will he never show his favor again? Has his unfailing love vanished forever? Has his promise failed for all time? Has God forgotten to be merciful? Has he in anger withheld his compassion (Psalm 77:7-9)? That doesn’t sound much like rejoicing in the Lord always. In fact, it is a lament—a prayer of pain, a raw, honest expression of grief and sorrow. Think of how Jesus lamented in the Garden of Gethsemane when he confessed My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. And on the cross, he cried out with a loud voice, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? And there’s an entire book in the Old Testament called Lamentations! Even a brief survey of Scripture confirms those who follow Christ will have times of lament in their lives. Somehow, we’ve often overlooked that biblical practice so many Christians feel guilty when they lament. But honest lament is not only permitted, it is encouraged in God’s Word. Could it be you need to learn to lament? Please understand I’m not talking about throwing a pity party every time your feelings are hurt! But feeling sorrow and pain and hurt when life throws unexpected bad news or difficult dark days our way should lead us to honest and candid prayers of lament. The Bible gives us some guidance on expressing our laments—laments which lead to acceptance or deliverance or guidance and eventually to joy, whatever your need may be.

  7. Jul 18

    Mary and Martha’s Lament

    Presented by Jenn Miller Let’s look at Mary and Martha. You might be most familiar with these two sisters for their opposite personalities—Martha, being type A and consumed by what needs to get done, and Mary being the one who applauded for resting and sitting at Jesus’ feet. All throughout the gospel accounts, these sisters and their brother, Lazarus, offered hospitality to Jesus and became some of his dearest friends. But in John 11, word comes to Jesus that Lazarus is sick, actually very sick. The sisters contacted Jesus out of faith. They knew Jesus was able to heal the sick—they had seen his miracles, and they put their faith in him and called on him to come heal their brother. Jesus’ response is quite confusing though. Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days (John 11:5-6). If someone you love is extremely sick, and you have the ability to help, wouldn’t you get up and rush to their side? Isn’t that what love does? The Bible reassures us of Jesus’ love for each of them, and yet, he deliberately chose to stay. And he waited. And Lazarus died. When Jesus finally came to Bethany, Lazarus had been dead four days. As we think through lament, I want you to put yourself in Mary and Martha’s shoes for a minute. They were trusting Jesus to heal their brother. They implored him to come. They waited and waited. Perhaps they took a break from tending Lazarus’ sick bed to go outside and see if Jesus was coming around the corner. But he wasn’t. And these two sisters watched their beloved brother die, wrapped his body, and placed him in a tomb. Imagine what Mary and Martha were feeling. Perhaps you know the intense pain of losing a loved one. This year I suddenly lost a family member that seemed perfectly healthy. The shock was jarring and painful. The death of a loved one is absolutely a reason to lament. And yet, as terrible as losing Lazarus was, I think there was an even greater lament for Mary and Martha. They both spoke to Jesus when he arrived separately and the first thing they said was, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.” Do you hear the pain of confusion? Do you hear the notes of disappointment and feelings of betrayal? I think the deeper lament is that these women put their faith and hope in Jesus and were left disappointed. That is not something good Christians like to talk about, but I have experienced those moments. Have you? Have you prayed earnestly in faith and received an entirely different outcome than you expected? Have you committed yourself to teaching your children faithfully only to watch them fall away? Have you tried to live obediently to the Lord and yet you look at your life, and it is not what you imagined it would be like at all? Do you feel like Jesus has let you down? If you feel that way, know you are not alone. Life can be confusing and disorienting. And when it doesn’t make sense and you are hurting, come to Jesus. That is what Mary and Martha did, and it was the first step in their healing. They both shared their feeling of bewilderment and even possibly betrayal that Jesus waited to come, chose not to heal Lazarus, and let him die. Satan wants you to hold that hurt and confusion and let it fester into resentment, bitterness, and unbelief. But when you come to Jesus and honestly pour out your heart, however messy or honest it is, that is when Jesus meets us in the lament. And he met Martha and Mary in two very different ways that show his character. First with Martha, Jesus comforts her with the truth of his character. Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die” (John 11:25). This was one of Jesus’ I am statements, and he chose to reveal himself as the resurrection and the life first to Martha in this moment of deep grief. But he doesn’t stop there. Jesus follows this truth with a question. He asks her, Do you believe this? (John 11:26). Friend, in your pain, immersing yourself in the attributes of the Savior is extremely helpful. Jesus is loving. He is your shepherd. He sees and hears your misery. He is powerful to save and works all things for the good of those who love him. But it is not enough just to read these statements. In your pain, Jesus comes to you and asks, “Do you believe this?” Martha could not have possibly understood all that encompassed the truth of Jesus being the resurrection and life. And Jesus didn’t expect her to. But with what faith she had in that moment, she responded, Yes, Lord. I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world (John 11:27). When everything in life is chaos and you can’t make sense of your pain, hold on to what you do know about Jesus. Asking why is rarely helpful, but choosing to sit in who you know and have already experienced Jesus to be will comfort your soul. Interestingly, Jesus responds very differently to Mary. She comes to him with the exact same words as Martha, Lord…if you had been here, my brother would not have died (John 11:21). Instead of revealing truth to her, Jesus weeps with her. Friend, you have a savior who is moved by suffering and weeps. I don’t know about you, but that is so comforting to me! Jesus might have been moved by seeing Mary in such pain or by his own grief or by his hatred of death as an enemy or all of it. Either way, he wept. And Jesus wept even though he knew the end of the story. He waited to let Lazarus die to reveal himself not only as healer but as the one who can resurrect. He knew Lazarus’ time in the grave was almost over, but he still wept. Jesus sees your whole story and knows it will turn out for your deliverance, and yet amid your suffering, he comes along side you tenderly. He doesn’t rebuke you for a lack of stoic faith or say, buck up. No, he is the almighty savior who understands our weakness and meets us with compassion. That means the world to me. Mary and Martha did receive their brother back, but in the moments of lament, they didn’t know the ending. In their lament they were called to believe the truth about Jesus and experience his tender care. And you and I are called to do the same. No matter what the root of our lament is, the Lord invites us to pour out our souls to him, to believe he sees and hears, and to receive his tender care. Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, all who trust in him are promised a gloriously happy ending. But in the meantime, life is hard. May we be women who cling to truth and to the loving care of Jesus himself. Let’s pray now to that end. Heavenly Father, you know the burdens and hardships each person reading right now is facing, and none of it is too heavy for you to bear. I pray you would comfort each hurting heart with your tender care. Would you remind each soul of who you truly are—that you are good, that you are working all things to make those who love you more and more into the image of your Son, that you will one day make all wrongs right, that nothing can separate those in Christ from your love. Give us greater faith to believe those truths more and more each day. I entrust each of my fellow lamenting sisters to your perfect care. In Jesus’ precious name we pray. Amen.

  8. Jul 17

    The Laments of Women in the Bible – 5

    Presented by Jenn Miller As we continue to look at glimpses of lament from women in the Bible, today we come to Mary, the mother of Jesus. Shortly after Jesus was born, Mary and Joseph presented him at the temple. While there, a man named Simeon was led by the Holy Spirit to recognize baby Jesus as the long-awaited and promised Messiah. He prophesied Jesus would cause the rise and fall of many. But then Simeon turned to Mary and told her another prophecy: that a sword would one day pierce her own soul as well. If you are a mother, you know how much feeling there is in motherhood. I remember having physical reactions to hearing my baby’s cry. You feel the pain of your toddler’s skinned knee. Mothers share the pain of a child’s rejection on the playground, or the deep hurts adolescence can bring. Mary was no different—Jesus was her Savior, but he was also her firstborn son. Can you imagine the agony she felt at the cross as she watched her child ridiculed and tortured? It was a piercing sword to her heart. And Jesus saw her pain from the cross. When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved (John) standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Dear woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home (John 19:26-27). In Mary’s deep lament, Jesus comforts her by sending her a person. This is a bit surprising because Mary had other sons and daughters who could care for her physical needs, but at this time, they did not believe in Jesus. Jesus gives Mary John as someone who can care for her soul. Friend, one of the ways Jesus most often cares for his people in their lament is through his church. We are called to bear one another’s burdens. Will you give a fellow believer the privilege of walking with you in your pain? I pray today you and I will look for opportunities to care for others who are hurting as well as receive the care of the saints ourselves.

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The Christian Working Woman with Mary Lowman exists to encourage, equip and empower workplace Christians in the marketplace.

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  • Creator
    Mary Lowman
  • Years Active
    2014 - 2026
  • Episodes
    300
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    © 2023 The Christian Working Woman
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