Have you ever wondered what would happen if we truly applied our faith to every aspect of our lives?

Take work, for example. Most of us do something every day that could be characterized as work, regardless of whether we collect a paycheck for our efforts or not. Full time Moms, for example, work as hard as any of us – and certainly deserve our profound respect.

But can our faith actually help us to become better at our work? Conversely, can our work help us to grow in our faith?

Absolutely. Consider the subject of teamwork.

Most of us have to work with others on a daily basis who think differently than we do. We need one another, after all – complementary skill sets are a critical component of any team. So what happens when our differences cause friction?

In my experience in organizations large and small, workplace struggles with teamwork are commonplace. So as people of faith, let’s take the first step. To be a better team player, and to strive to serve others as Christ did, try the following:

1. Look for talents in others. We can be of great service to others by recognizing and encouraging their talents – even if it involves the occasional reprimand.
2. Use hurdles as stepping-stones. By our willingness to accept challenges gracefully, we become ever more open to following God’s calling in our lives.
3. Read the Bible and other spiritual books. This is a great way to allow God to speak to us.
4. Be humble. Humility is the foundation of spiritual development, and it holds untold spiritual and practical benefits.
5. Pray for your teammates. If there’s anyone in particular who irritates you, pray for him or her each day. This benefits the team, and it has the power to transform our own hearts.

Recognize that none of these items should cause any heartburn for teammates even the most secular of workplaces. Our faith shouldn’t be an impediment to effectiveness at work – it’s really an asset. Just think of the revolution that would occur if we all lived out our faith just a little bit better in our daily work. Let’s pray for one another!