In Monday’s article, Now Hiring: Chief Peace Officer, we explored Jesus’ call to be peacemakers.

It’s a beautiful idea. But what happens when a coworker drives you nuts? Your boss drops a last-minute surprise? Or someone takes credit for your work?

Because let’s face it: when we’re frustrated, our brains can become judge, jury, and prosecuting attorney before the other person even finishes speaking.

So here's something practical you can try this week: three simple sentences that can help turn a difficult conversation into a productive one.

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Welcome back to The Lord at Work.

It’s Monday. The coffee is brewing, the inbox is multiplying, and somewhere a meeting labeled “quick check-in” has invited 14 people and booked an hour. (I’ll probably see you there.)

Whether you work in an office, on a jobsite, in a hospital, or behind a counter, you know this much: a tiny misunderstanding can become a huge workplace problem…and it can happen really quickly.

That missed handoff. An impatient customer. A colleague who speaks to everyone like they’re already three deadlines behind. Before long, everybody’s keeping score.

But what if, instead of winning the next argument, we worked to change the atmosphere?

Yesterday was All Saints Day. And in the Gospel, Jesus gave us a surprisingly practical job description for a role we all have the opportunity to fill. Let’s take a look.

The Gospel: The Beatitudes

Matthew 5:1–12a, New American Bible, Revised Edition

When he saw the crowds, he went up the mountain, and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him. He began to teach them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.

Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.

Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.

Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you [falsely] because of me.

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven.”

What It Means at Work

In this teaching, Jesus obviously never mentions email threads. Or shift changes. Or that mystery person who leaves one splash of coffee in the pot with the warmer on. (Hey, it’s Yankee Candle’s new scent…“burnt joe”.)

Yet somehow, the gospel message lands right in the middle of our modern workday.

Of all the Beatitudes, this one jumps out at me:

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”

Notice the word makers. It’s not the peace wishers. It’s not people who quietly hope the tension disappears while hiding behind their monitors.

Peacemaking asks something of us.

Peace and doing what’s right belong together.

I learned something about that during a series of late nights at the office.

Years ago, at an ad agency that shall remain nameless, my team and I spent several weeks, and what seemed like endless overtime, developing a campaign. It was solid. At 8 o’clock the night before the big client presentation, our creative director reconsidered his own brief and told us to start over. It was a tough one to take. We were tired. The work we had was strong. But we followed his direction.

We worked through the night. The next day, we presented both approaches. And, what do you know, the client liked them.

Both.

It was good news for our client. It was less exciting news for those of us who just spent another night becoming one with the office furniture.

That experience stayed with me.

Mainly because it kept happening with the same director.

But also because it inspired me.

When I became a creative director, I committed to being deliberate and decisive. To giving clear direction. And to respecting my team’s time and effort.

I couldn’t change what happened that night, but I could try not to repeat it.

That’s one version of peacemaking: deciding that frustration doesn’t have to be passed down the line.

And following All Saints’ Day—when we celebrate saints from all walks of life—I think it’s good to remember that holiness doesn’t require stained glass.

Sometimes “holiness” wears steel-toed boots or scrubs or a lanyard that hasn’t scanned properly since February.

• When your coworker snaps, you can respond without snapping back.

• When someone makes a mistake, you can correct it without embarrassing them.

• When two teammates are at odds, you can help them hear each other out instead of recruiting an audience for the argument.

And because life is rarely clear cut, sometimes we need to remember that the person we’re irritated with may be carrying a burden we can’t see.

And that’s not just me talking.

In research covering the second quarter of 2026, SHRM reported that 27% of U.S. workers identified cost and affordability concerns as contributors to incivility they experienced or witnessed at work.

Now that doesn’t excuse disrespect. But it gives us a reason to leave room for mercy.

The Catholic Church’s Catechism describes peace as something built through justice and charity—not simply the absence of conflict.

Real peace can require an honest conversation.

A firm boundary.

Or speaking up when someone is being treated unfairly.

This week at work: Accept the Job…Be the Peacemaker.

This week, when friction finds you—and you kinda know it will—try asking yourself one question:

Will my next words make this situation better or just make me feel better for the next five seconds?

I ask myself that question because I don’t always get it right.

Some days I need to practice what I preach. Other days I need to apologize for what I practiced.

But we keep trying.

You probably won’t get a raise or a reserved parking space for being your workplace’s Chief Peace Officer.

You might, however, help a coworker finish the day with a little less weight on their shoulders.

And that’s a kind of success worth working for.

On Wednesday: Let’s Put it to Work

Ready to become your workplace’s Chief Peace Officer?

In Wednesday’s paid subscriber companion, I’ll share The Three-Sentence Peace Reset—a simple framework for handling tense conversations, addressing problems without attacking people, and finding a better way forward.

No confrontation required. No law degree necessary. Just three sentences and a little courage.

SOURCES & REFERENCES

1. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (n.d.). Matthew, Chapter 5. New American Bible, Revised Edition (NABRE). Read Scripture.

2. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (2026, November 1). Solemnity of All Saints, Lectionary 667. Sunday Mass readings.

3. Mayer, K. (2026, August 27). Employees’ Financial Stress Is Fueling Workplace Incivility. SHRM. Read article.

4. Catholic Church. (1992). Catechism of the Catholic Church, §§2304–2305, “Safeguarding Peace.” Holy See. Read Catechism.

On Monday, we talked about how music can become a form of prayer. How a song can help us connect with God, find some peace, and put us in a better frame of mind before heading into work.

Now, let’s put that idea into practice.

And here’s the good news: You don’t need to wake up earlier. Or buy anything. Or become one of those people who cheerfully announce they’ve already accomplished 14 things before sunrise.

You just need your regular old commute, a little music, and a willingness to invite God along for the ride.

Here’s your 20-minute prayer playlist.

Read more

Welcome to The Lord at Work, where we explore how a little faith can make a big difference in our workday.

Before we get to that sweet van…let’s start with a question.

What do you listen to on your way to work?

The morning news? Sports talk? A favorite podcast?

Maybe you spend the entire commute in a spirited, one-sided conversation with the guy who just cut you off on I-95.

We’ve all been there.

But what if those 20 or 30 minutes between home and work could become something more meaningful?

What if your commute could become a time for prayer?

And what if prayer didn’t always require silence, folded hands, or remembering the words to something you learned in Sunday school?

What if sometimes prayer sounded like your favorite song?

Let’s take a look at some scripture for inspiration.

Colossians 3:12–17

12 Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,

13 bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do.

14 And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection.

15 And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful.

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

17 And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

—Colossians 3:12–17, New American Bible, Revised Edition

Apparently, long before Spotify, the Apostle Paul was already recommending a pretty great playlist.

And he wasn’t suggesting music simply to entertain us. He was showing us how faith, gratitude, and the words we carry in our hearts can shape the way we live.

I learned that lesson in a high school classroom. And years later, I rediscovered it behind the wheel on my way to work.

The Gospel According to Bob Marley

I went to Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft, New Jersey. When I was a sophomore, I had a religious education teacher named Ms. Tracey.

She introduced us to an idea that has stayed with me ever since: You can find meaningful spiritual messages in music that isn’t necessarily labeled “religious”.

She started the lesson by playing “Nowhere Man” by the Beatles.

Not exactly Gregorian chant.

Now I’m not a Beatles guy. And I know that’s probably an unpopular take. (Sorry, Ringo.) But the song really resonated.

We discussed its meaning and how its message could relate to our Christian faith. As young adults, we were being challenged to start thinking about our purpose, our direction, and the type of impact we wanted to have on the world.

And then we meditated on the message.

Think about that. Ms. Tracey managed to get a classroom full of teenagers to sit quietly and contemplate life’s purpose while listening to the Beatles.

That alone may qualify as a minor miracle.

It made me think of prayer in a whole new way.

Then Ms. Tracey invited us to bring in our own music and share it with the class.

My pick?

Bob Marley & the Wailers. Legend.

I had discovered Bob in 8th grade on a Spring Break road trip with a friend’s family. Two parents and six kids, cruising down the highway in a big Chevy conversion van. My buddy and I were the oldest. So we sat in the back, headphones on for much of the 16 hours in each direction. I listened to Legend on repeat.

By the time we got home, I knew every word to every song.

Then two years later, in Ms. Tracey’s classroom, something clicked.

I began recognizing biblical themes and connections to Scripture in the songs I’d been singing in my head.

“Is there a place for the hopeless sinner who has hurt all mankind just to save his own?” — One Love / People Get Ready

“But my hand was made strong by the hand of the Almighty…” — Redemption Song

Messages about love, freedom, unity, hope, and redemption suddenly carried another dimension.

The music hadn’t changed.

The way I listened did.

And something else changed. I wasn’t just hearing the words anymore. I was feeling their meaning.

A familiar melody could make a message about hope more hopeful. A song about redemption could make forgiveness feel more personal. And a message I’d heard before in church could suddenly reach me in a completely different way.

That’s when I really began to get the fact that music could be more than entertainment.

Music could inspire reflection. It could bring us closer to God. It could even become a form of prayer.

An Unexpected Turn of the Radio Dial

Fast-forward to the early 2000s.

I was working at a small ad agency about 20 minutes from my house.

My morning routine was pretty predictable: a walk with the dog, breakfast, truck, classic rock radio, work.

Then one day, I turned the radio dial.

I landed on 88.1 WayFM, a Christian radio station.

I started to continue turning but the morning hosts caught my ear. They made me laugh. I don’t remember what they said, but I remember how it made me feel. And I kept listening.

Then they read a passage from Scripture and played a song.

It was “If You Want Me To” by Ginny Owens.

I can’t fully explain what happened, but that song reached me.

It brought me back to the connection I felt in high school. And it made me feel as though God was right there with me.

I kept listening.

MercyMe. Sanctus Real. Newsboys. Jeremy Camp. Switchfoot. NEEDTOBREATHE.

This “Christian rock” sounded a lot like regular rock. And alternative. And pop.

Nobody had ever told me Christian music came with electric guitars.

Apparently, the Holy Spirit appreciates a good guitar riff.

The difference was the message. The songs invited me to think about hope, faith, love, forgiveness, and trusting God.

And something interesting happened.

I’d arrive at work feeling different.

Not because my problems had magically disappeared. But because I’d spent 20 minutes focusing on something bigger than those problems.

I felt more peaceful. More grateful. More hopeful.

My commute hadn’t changed. My state of mind did.

There’s Something About Music That Moves Us

We’ve all experienced it.

A song comes on the radio and suddenly you’re transported back to your wedding day. Or your childhood. Or a moment with someone you love.

Maybe a song makes you laugh. Maybe it gives you goosebumps. Maybe it makes you cry.

Sometimes all three. Especially if it’s a country song.

And there’s research behind music’s emotional impact.

In a 2023 global study conducted by the International Federation of the Phonographic Industry (IFPI), more than 43,000 people across 26 countries were surveyed about their relationship with music.

The findings?

78% said music helps them relax and cope with stress.

And 71% said music is important to their mental health.

Those are self-reported experiences, not a guarantee that every song will improve everyone’s mood. But they certainly suggest that I’m not alone in feeling music’s emotional power.

And here’s where I think modern music and prayer can become a beautiful combination.

We can read a passage from Scripture and understand its meaning intellectually. We can hear a sermon and appreciate its wisdom.

But sometimes, when that same message is expressed through music, it reaches somewhere deeper.

We don’t just understand the message. We feel it.

And when that feeling leads us to gratitude, reflection, praise, or a conversation with God, music can become a pathway to prayer.

The song doesn’t even have to be religious.

Because it’s not necessarily the genre of music that makes the moment prayerful.

It’s what we do with the message in our hearts.

What Does Your Commute Have to Do With Colossians?

So here’s what I love about this reading.

Paul doesn’t just tell us to sing spiritual songs. He connects music and gratitude to compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, and love.

Those sound like pretty valuable qualities to bring into our workplace.

Whether you’re walking into a corporate office or a classroom, a hospital or a construction site, chances are you’ll encounter someone who could use a little more kindness and patience.

Possibly before 9:00 a.m.

And maybe that person is you.

The opportunity is to become more intentional about what we’re putting into our hearts before we start putting ourselves into the world.

Because the attitude we bring to work matters.

Think about the difference between arriving “pre-frustrated” by the news, the traffic, and an overflowing inbox, versus arriving with a little gratitude, perspective, and peace.

We might face the very same challenges.

That inbox will still be overflowing. And that meeting that should have been an email? Still on the calendar.

But we might respond to them differently.

That difficult coworker deserves patience. That overwhelmed colleague could use compassion. That frustrating mistake might call for forgiveness instead of finger-pointing.

And that guy who just stole your parking space?

Well, we’re all still works in progress.

This week at work: Turn Up the Music. Open Up Your Heart.

Here’s my invitation for this week.

Tomorrow morning, instead of automatically turning on your usual station or podcast, try something different.

Find a song that makes you think about God, gratitude, love, forgiveness, hope, or the person you want to become.

It might be a traditional hymn.

It might be contemporary Christian music.

It might be the Beatles or Bob or Ella Langley. You get the idea.

Listen to the words. Really listen.

Think about what they mean. Think about how they connect to your life, your faith, and the people you’ll encounter throughout the day.

And if a particular lyric moves you, take a moment to turn that feeling into a prayer.

Maybe it’s a prayer of gratitude.

Maybe it’s a request for strength.

Maybe it’s simply, “Lord, help me be a little more patient today.”

You don’t have to sing along. You don’t have to close your eyes. In fact, if you’re driving, definitely don’t close your eyes.

Just listen, reflect, and invite God into the moment.

Because prayer doesn’t always need to be spoken.

Sometimes someone else has already found the words you need.

And sometimes, music helps those words reach your heart in a way they never have before.

God doesn’t need you to have a beautiful singing voice. He just wants you to have an open heart.

On Wednesday:

We’ll PUT IT TO WORK with a 20-minute prayer playlist, recommended songs, reflection prompts, and 3 simple ways to bring more gratitude, strength, and kindness into your workday. Available exclusively to paid subscribers.

SOURCES & REFERENCES

1. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (2010). Colossians 3:12–17. In New American Bible, Revised Edition. Confraternity of Christian Doctrine. Read Scripture.

2. International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. (2023). Engaging with Music 2023. IFPI. Full research report. Survey of more than 43,000 respondents aged 16–64 in 26 countries, conducted August–October 2023.

3. The Beatles. (1965). Nowhere Man [Song]. On Rubber Soul. Parlophone.

4. Marley, B., & The Wailers. (1984). Legend: The Best of Bob Marley and the Wailers [Compilation album]. Island Records.

5. Owens, G. (1999). If You Want Me To [Song]. On Without Condition. Rocketown Records.

On Monday, we looked at Matthew 18, one of the most practical workplace lessons Jesus ever gave us:

“If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.”
—Matthew 18:15

In modern workplace language:

Talk to the person. Not about the person.

Simple advice.

Not always simple to do.

Because most of us already know who that person is.

The coworker who annoyed us. The boss who dismissed us. The teammate who didn’t follow through. The person whose name makes us think, Oh man. Not today.

So today, let’s put Matthew 18 to work.

Here’s a four-step framework for having the conversation you’ve been avoiding:

Read more

There are few things more universally uncomfortable than workplace conflict.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re sitting in a corner office, standing on a construction site, working the line in a factory, teaching in a classroom, running a small business—or trying to figure out who keeps leaving an empty coffee pot in the break room.

Sooner or later, somebody is going to irritate you. (In fact, you’re probably thinking about somebody right now.)

They’ll take credit for something you did.

They’ll speak to you in a rude way.

They’ll miss a deadline that suddenly becomes your emergency.

They’ll say something in a meeting that feels somewhere between “not helpful” and “I’ll remember this during your performance review.”

And when that happens, most of us have a remarkably sophisticated conflict-resolution strategy:

We tell somebody else.

Maybe two somebody elses.

Maybe everybody except the actual person we have the problem with.

Apparently, human nature hasn’t changed much in 2,000 years.

Because in Matthew 18:15-20, Jesus offers some surprisingly practical advice for exactly this situation.

Matthew 18:15–20.

15 “If your brother sins [against you], go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother.

16 If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that ‘every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses.’

17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell the church. If he refuses to listen even to the church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.

18 Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

19 Again, [amen,] I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father.

20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

—Matthew 18:15–20, New American Bible, Revised Edition

The wisdom: Talk to the person. Not about the person.

It turns out, Jesus gave us a conflict-resolution policy roughly 2,000 years before HR put one in a PDF nobody read.

And Step One is remarkably simple:

Talk to the person. Not about the person.

That advice sounds obvious.

It’s also incredibly hard.

When somebody upsets us, talking about them feels much safer than talking to them.

We vent to our work friend.

We text our spouse.

We send the screenshot.

We replay the meeting.

We draft an email that technically contains no profanity, yet somehow communicates all of it.

But Jesus offers another path.

Go to the person. Privately.

That last word matters.

Jesus isn’t telling us to publicly embarrass somebody. Or call them out in front of the team. Or assemble twelve coworkers to explain why Steve from Accounting is the worst.

He starts one-on-one.

The objective isn’t humiliation.

It’s reconciliation.

Pope Francis, reflecting specifically on this passage, described Jesus’ approach as fraternal correction: addressing another person’s wrongdoing privately and charitably, with the goal of helping restore the relationship rather than condemning the person.

That gives us a useful distinction at work.

The question isn’t: How do I prove I’m right?

It’s: How do we make this right?

Subscribe to The Lord at Work

Start with curiosity instead of accusation.

Let’s imagine a coworker failed to deliver something you needed.

You could say:

“You dropped the ball again.”

Or:

“Hey, what happened yesterday? I was counting on that being finished, and it put me in a difficult spot.”

Same problem.

Very different conversation.

One attacks the person.

The other addresses what happened while leaving room for an explanation.

Maybe they were careless.

Maybe they misunderstood.

Maybe something happened in their life that you know absolutely nothing about.

Curiosity doesn’t mean becoming a doormat. Jesus isn’t asking us to ignore bad behavior.

You can be direct and kind at exactly the same time.

My former CEO used to say that all the time, and I never quite understood what she meant. Now I do.

Don’t recruit an army before you’ve had a conversation.

I think one of the most interesting things about Matthew 18 is the sequence.

One-on-one first.

Then, if necessary, involve others.

Any escalation comes later.

That’s pretty much the opposite of modern workplace temptation, where a disagreement can become a Slack thread, group text and minor congressional investigation before lunch.

Jesus’ approach protects the dignity of the other person.

And there’s practical wisdom in that.

Research by Christine Porath (Clinical Professor at the University of North Carolina) and Amir Erez (Professor at the University of Florida) found that workplace rudeness can impair task performance, creativity and helpful behavior. Their subsequent research found that even simply witnessing rudeness can negatively affect performance.

More recent research published in the Journal of Applied Psychology found that rudeness can also damage team coordination, information sharing and overall team performance.

In other words:

The tension between two people rarely stays between two people.

It leaks.

Into meetings.

Into morale and collaboration.

Into the quality of our work.

And sometimes into the group chat—which, historically speaking, is where peace goes to die.

Your goal is reconciliation, not victory.

This may be the hardest part, I think.

When somebody hurts us, winning feels good.

Jesus seems much more interested in recovering the relationship.

That doesn’t mean every workplace problem should be handled with a quiet conversation.

Things like serious harassment, discrimination, threats, violence, fraud, abuse or safety concerns may require a manager, HR representative, union representative, compliance department or appropriate authorities.

But most workplace conflicts aren’t courtroom dramas.

They’re misunderstandings. Missed commitments. Bruised egos. Bad days. Poor communication.

The colleague who keeps stepping on your toes.

And for those moments, Jesus gives us a remarkably practical place to begin:

Go talk to them.

Quietly.

Respectfully.

Honestly.

And with the possibility—however inconceivable—that you might not know the whole story.

This week at work

So here’s the challenge.

Think of one person at work you’ve been talking about because of a problem you haven’t talked to them about.

Then ask yourself:

Can I have a kind, private, honest conversation with this person?

Not to score points.

Not to unload.

Not to deliver the closing argument you’ve been rehearsing in the shower for three days.

Just to understand. To be understood. And, if possible, to repair something.

You don’t need to walk into work carrying a Bible.

You don’t need to quote Matthew.

The other person doesn’t even need to know why you’re doing it.

Just live it.

Because sometimes bringing Christ into the workplace doesn’t look particularly religious.

Sometimes it looks like refusing to gossip.

Having the uncomfortable conversation.

Showing somebody dignity when you’re angry with them.

Choosing reconciliation over resentment.

And being the person who brings a little less heat—and a little more light—into the room.

Before you talk about them, talk to them.

That seems like a pretty good assignment for the week.

And thankfully, there’s no PowerPoint required.

On Wednesday:

We’ll Put It to Work with a practical way to have the conversation you’ve been avoiding—without starting a workplace civil war.

SOURCES & REFERENCES

Catechism of the Catholic Church. (n.d.). The theological virtues, §1829. Libreria Editrice Vaticana.

Francis. (2020, September 6). Angelus. The Holy See.

Francis. (2023, September 10). Angelus. The Holy See.

Gale, J., Erez, A., Bamberger, P., Foulk, T., Cooper, B., Riskin, A., Schilpzand, P., & Vashdi, D. (2024). Rudeness and team performance: Adverse effects via member social value orientation and coordinative team processes. Journal of Applied Psychology, 109(12), 1948–1971. https://doi.org/10.1037/apl0001213

Porath, C. L., & Erez, A. (2007). Does rudeness really matter? The effects of rudeness on task performance and helpfulness. Academy of Management Journal, 50(5), 1181–1197. https://doi.org/10.5465/AMJ.2007.20159919

Porath, C. L., & Erez, A. (2009). Overlooked but not untouched: How rudeness reduces onlookers’ performance on routine and creative tasks. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 109(1), 29–44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2009.01.003

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. (2026, September 6). Twenty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time: Lectionary 127. New American Bible, Revised Edition.

The world feels a little…loud right now.

Maybe a lot loud.

We wake up to notifications. News alerts. Deadlines. Bills. Traffic. Layoffs. Artificial intelligence. Political arguments. Social media arguments. Arguments about the arguments on social media.

And then, somehow, we’re expected to walk into work at 8:30 on Monday morning and respond cheerfully to an email that begins, “Per my last email…”

It’s a lot.

And the feeling that people are stressed, anxious and disconnected isn’t simply anecdotal.

According to the CDC, in 2024 about 12% of American adults reported regularly experiencing feelings of worry, nervousness or anxiety, and roughly 19% said they had at some point been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.

At work, the numbers are even more striking. Gallup’s 2026 State of the Global Workplace data found that 50% of U.S. employees experienced stress during a lot of the previous day. 22% experienced significant sadness and 19% experienced loneliness.

Think about that.

Half the people around us at work may be carrying significant stress on any given day.

The person driving the delivery truck.

The woman answering customer calls.

The guy operating the forklift.

Your creative director.

Your accountant.

Your boss.

The person sitting three feet away from you who looks perfectly fine on Teams.

Maybe you.

At the same time, something else has been changing in America.

We have become less connected to organized religion. Pew Research Center reports that 29% of American adults now identify as religiously unaffiliated—atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular”—up from 16% in 2007. Only about one-third of Americans say they attend religious services in person at least once a month.

That doesn’t mean Americans have stopped searching for meaning.

Far from it.

Pew found that 70% of Americans consider themselves spiritual in some way or say spirituality is very important in their lives.

So here we are.

Stressed.

Disconnected.

Searching.

And heading to work.

Which is exactly why I created The Lord at Work.

Most of us will spend an enormous portion of our adult lives working.

In offices and warehouses.

Hospitals and construction sites.

Agencies and factories.

Schools, restaurants, dealerships, airports, stores, job sites and conference rooms.

We spend thousands upon thousands of hours alongside people we didn’t choose, solving problems we didn’t create, attending meetings that possibly could have been emails.

Work is where we celebrate promotions and endure layoffs. Where we make friends and encounter difficult people. Where our confidence grows—and occasionally gets demolished before lunch.

It is one of the great gathering places of modern life.

And I believe it can be better.

Not because everyone at work needs to become Christian.

Not because somebody needs to start quoting Scripture during the Monday status meeting.

And definitely not because your coworkers need an unsolicited 47-minute theological discussion while they’re trying to microwave their lunch.

I believe it can become better because some of the ideas Jesus taught 2,000 years ago remain extraordinarily useful for human beings trying to live and work together today.

Love your neighbor.

Forgive.

Serve others.

Show mercy.

Don’t be consumed by possessions.

Care for people who are struggling.

Treat people the way you would want to be treated.

Be humble.

Choose compassion over condemnation.

Bring peace into difficult situations.

These aren’t just ideas for Sunday morning.

They’re pretty good ideas for Tuesday afternoon.

So, who am I to be writing this?

Fair question.

I’m not a priest.

I’m not a pastor.

I’m not a theologian or a licensed member of the clergy.

I’m a Christian husband and dad who’s been married for 26 years. I’m an advertising and creative executive who has spent more than 15 years navigating corporate America, another 12 years working inside a small ad agency, and a year teaching full-time at a major university.

I’ve managed people.

I’ve been managed.

I’ve hired people.

I’ve been laid off.

I’ve presented to CEOs, argued about budgets, coached teams, missed deadlines, made mistakes, sat through performance reviews and participated in enough conference calls to have probably shaved several years off Purgatory.

And through all of it, I’m still learning.

I’m trying to become a better man, a better husband, a better father and a better Christian than I was yesterday.

Sometimes I succeed.

Sometimes…Thursday happens.

That’s the perspective behind The Lord at Work.

Not perfection.

Practice.

And there’s encouraging evidence behind the idea.

Researchers have spent decades studying religion, spirituality and human well-being.

A systematic review of research involving spirituality and religiousness among healthy adults found that 9 of the 10 included studies reported positive associations with quality of life, particularly in areas involving psychological well-being, social relationships, optimism, hope and inner peace. The researchers also noted important limitations in the evidence, so this isn’t proof that spirituality automatically makes someone happier.

Research on participation in religious communities is particularly interesting. A large longitudinal analysis of three U.S. cohorts found that regular religious-service attendance was associated with lower levels of depression, anxiety, hopelessness and loneliness and with higher positive affect, life satisfaction, social integration and sense of purpose.

Harvard’s Human Flourishing Program has similarly studied the relationship between religious community and dimensions of flourishing including happiness, purpose, relationships and health.

The science isn’t saying, “Go to church and all your problems disappear.”

And neither am I.

Newer studies have challenged the idea that religious attendance itself universally causes better mental health.

What the larger body of research does suggest is something much more interesting:

Meaning matters.

Purpose matters.

Community matters.

Human connection matters.

And perhaps we could use a little more of all four at work.

That’s what The Lord at Work is about.

This is an invitation.

Not a directive.

Not a mandate.

Not a judgment.

And certainly not a suggestion that you walk into work tomorrow carrying a Bible and begin grading your coworkers.

The Lord at Work will explore the teachings, words and actions of Jesus Christ and ask one simple question:

How could this help us become better people at work today?

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Sometimes we’ll talk about leadership.

Other times it’ll be forgiveness, anxiety, ambition, difficult coworkers, layoffs, success, failure, honesty, money, jealousy, confidence, generosity, ego, purpose, gratitude or compassion.

We’ll take teachings that can sometimes feel distant or ancient and place them squarely into situations we recognize.

What would Jesus’ example teach us about managing someone who’s struggling?

About dealing with a boss we don’t like?

About getting passed over for a promotion?

About admitting we made a mistake?

About leading when people are afraid?

About succeeding without becoming consumed by success?

And, importantly, you decide what to do with it.

Maybe you talk about your faith openly.

Maybe you don’t mention Jesus at work at all.

Maybe nobody ever knows where your change in attitude comes from.

You simply become a little more patient.

A little more forgiving.

A little less interested in winning every argument.

A little more willing to help the person next to you.

A source of peace instead of tension.

Light instead of darkness.

Hope instead of cynicism.

Love instead of indifference.

Because bringing Christ into the workplace doesn’t always require talking about Christ.

Sometimes the introduction is simply how you treat people.

And if enough of us did that?

Work might feel a little different.

So might the world.

Welcome to The Lord at Work.

[ Sources & References ]

Alper, B. A., Rotolo, C., Tevington, P., Nortey, J., & Kallo, A. (2023, December 7). Spirituality among Americans: 7 in 10 U.S. adults describe themselves as spiritual in some way, including 22% who are spiritual but not religious. Pew Research Center. Pew Research Center source (Pew Research Center)

Borges, C. C., Dos Santos, P. R., Alves, P. M., Borges, R. C. M., Lucchetti, G., Barbosa, M. A., Porto, C. C., & Fernandes, M. R. (2021). Association between spirituality/religiousness and quality of life among healthy adults: A systematic review. Health and Quality of Life Outcomes, 19, Article 246. doi:10.1186/s12955-021-01878-7. PubMed record (PubMed)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2026, May 27). Mental health conditions & care. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. CDC source (CDC)

Chen, Y., Kim, E. S., & VanderWeele, T. J. (2020). Religious-service attendance and subsequent health and well-being throughout adulthood: Evidence from three prospective cohorts. International Journal of Epidemiology, 49(6), 2030–2040. doi:10.1093/ije/dyaa120. Oxford Academic article (DOI)

Gallup. (2026). State of the global workplace: 2026 report. Gallup, Inc. Gallup report (Gallup)

Gallup. (2026). State of the global workplace: United States country-level data. Gallup, Inc. U.S. workplace data (Gallup)

Harvard University Human Flourishing Program. (n.d.). Religious communities. Harvard University. Human Flourishing Program source (Human Flourishing Program)

Prati, G. (2025). Does religious-service attendance increase mental health? A random-intercept cross-lagged panel analysis across 18 years. Psychological Science, 36(3), 157–167. doi:10.1177/09567976251325449. Psychological Science article (Association for Psychological Science)

Smith, G. A., Cooperman, A., Alper, B. A., Mohamed, B., Rotolo, C., Tevington, P., Nortey, J., Kallo, A., Diamant, J., & Fahmy, D. (2025, February 26). Religious identity. Pew Research Center, Religious Landscape Study. Pew Research Center source (Pew Research Center)

Smith, G. A., Cooperman, A., Alper, B. A., Mohamed, B., Rotolo, C., Tevington, P., Nortey, J., Kallo, A., Diamant, J., & Fahmy, D. (2025, February 26). Religious attendance and congregational involvement. Pew Research Center, Religious Landscape Study. Pew Research Center source (Pew Research Center)