Spoiling the job 

The bad fruit highlighted in Galatians 4 represents the very behaviour that spoils work. Here's a brief look at how.

Part four of the blog series Is Kingdom working? by Phil Hanson and Terry Young

The Rotten Fruit Business 

We rarely meditate on the list of “bad fruit” in Galatians 5, the so-called acts of the sinful nature. Perhaps we tend not to want to dissect this unattractive picture, simply accepting the scene as an unhappy cameo of a world without God’s presence. 

The list that Paul offers includes: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. 

What prompted a closer examination was the thought that this might represent the very behaviour that spoils work. God’s blueprint, when he sent man out to work was ruined by human disobedience and selfish behaviour. 

Before man’s fall – the fruits of labour were commensurate with the effort put in. (To use an engineering metaphor, work was 100 per cent efficient). After the fall, the effort being put in exceeded the gain (much less than 100 per cent efficient). Today, all organisations operate despite these inbuilt inhibitors to a greater or lesser degree. 

All of these can be seen to have a negative impact on businesses. They create significant internal organisational friction that, like any friction, inhibits smooth operation whilst generating wasteful heat and noise. That doesn’t stop business leaders trying to use these selfish attitudes as drivers for business success. 


Sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery, drunkenness, orgies 

Emily Chang’s book, Brotopia, breaking up the boy’s club of Silicon Valley, describes what seemingly goes as normal in some technology businesses. She recounts cases of sexual harassment and vicious online trolling, even including a chapter on polyamory (multiple romantic relationships at the same time) and sex parties. The behaviour at these high-tech business parties is apparently seen as an extension of the open-mindedness of hi-tech workplaces. 

Excessive drinking and unwanted sexual advances have sadly not been uncommon in office life in many sectors. The existence of sexual harassment helplines and the demand for specialist legal support is testimony to the continued rise of such behaviour. In the UK there has been a need for legislation to tackle the misuse of Non-Disclosure Agreements in the workplace, especially to cover up sexual harassment and assault. 

Celebration of team successes is a blessing but not when it looks like debauchery. Quite apart from the traumatic impact on individuals. 

There is a negative impact on working relationships and trust. 


Idolatry and witchcraft 

It is, at first, hard to imagine idolatry in the workplace. It is, however, perfectly possible to idolise your job title, business card, travel opportunities, remuneration package, the VIP pictures in your office, public recognition or personal profile. There is real bereavement when these things are removed. Identity is totally tied up with work status. This is an extreme expression of pride. Some business leaders long to be personally idolised. 

In countries where witchcraft practices are commonplace, bribery and corruption are also often prevalent in both business and the public sector. 


Hatred, discord, jealousy, envy 

Jealousy and envy of the achievements of others can be very corrosive. It happens most obviously at an individual level. It can leave people feeling deeply dissatisfied, anxious about career prospects, trapped in roles they don’t enjoy or deeply job insecure. No one performs at their best with while harbouring these sorts of difficult feelings. 

Discord and rivalry can also exist between functional groups and teams. In these cases, local successes are likely to be achieved but at the expense of the bigger picture. 


Dissensions, factions 

Organisational dissent is when there is strong disagreement about the business direction, practices, and policies. Left unresolved, it inevitably leads to push-back on decisions and subsequent conflict. The existence of differing opinions isn’t the problem, it is letting them turn into resentment by not listening to them. 

Factions emerge when people attach themselves to one or other of a set of polarised opinions and campaign for their preferred stance. The recent TV series, Sherwood, reminds us of the lasting impact on people’s lives of the deep factional divisions in the 1980's miners’ strikes. 

Dissensions and factions result in people feeling unappreciated, unrewarded, unrecognised, unsupported, untrained and unstretched. 


Fits of rage, selfish ambition 

Fits of rage are commonly associated with narcissistic behaviour - an exaggerated sense of self-importance and a lack of empathy for other people. The impact on the organisation is to undermine collaboration and therefore effectiveness. 

Not all rage is necessarily from self-important people. A sustained level of stress and fear when we are under pressure depletes our emotional resources, making any of us much more likely to get angry even at minor provocations. 

An autocratic management culture based on fear is likely to fuel the level of anger in the workplace. 


The Rat Race 

These selfish traits are encapsulated in the imagery of “The Rat Race” – rats fighting each other to climb up a greasy pole to reach a piece of cheese. It is an endless, self-defeating and pointless pursuit which leaves its participants exhausted and with no time for anything else. The rat race is what causes so many people to leave their business careers. 

It is no wonder that Paul described faith hope and love as the “most excellent way” in his letter to the Corinthians. Excellent business can only aspire to being “most excellent” when humans exhibit the fruit of the Spirit. Where business is built on a foundation of human selfish behaviours, its operation will be bogged down in inertia and resistance that cannot be overcome by any amount of good practice. 

Modelling and enabling the presence of good fruit as well as the discouragement of “bad fruit” are the responsibility of all Christians in business. It is probably easiest to do when you are already at the top of the tree. The more challenging call is on all those who are halfway up the ladder to have the courage of their Christian convictions, knowing that it is absolutely what is best for the business. 


Image | Maria Teneva | Unsplash

Phil Hanson is an engineer by profession. For the latter part of a 30 year career in IBM, he was Lead Principal for IBM’s Manufacturing Industry Consulting Practice. Since IBM, he has been Principal Industrial Fellow at the Institute for Manufacturing at Cambridge University and a Special Advisor to UNIDO for supply chain projects in Africa. He is ordained in the Church of England.

Terry Young is a missionary kid who read science and engineering. After a PhD in lasers, he worked in R&D before becoming a professor, when he taught project management, information systems and e-business, while leading research in healthcare. He set up Datchet Consulting to have fun with both faith and work and worshipped at Baptist churches in Slough for 19 years before moving to the New Forest. 

Do you have a view? Share your thoughts via our letters' page.