“Even in the dark there is light.” Those words, from a song wafting through the radio airwaves, caught my attention and my mind raced back to a conversation about work I had with a friend the previous evening. As she recounted her work story from the day, my heart went out to her; she’d encountered such darkness.

But her heart was not heavy. My friend’s heart was full of hope as she told me how God had given her grace and a light heart to deal with the situation.

Even in the dark there is light. The light is Christ, and because we bring Him with us, we can be light in the darkness. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:14-16).

Jesus calls us to be a light everywhere we go. The workplace needs light desperately, and we are called to bring it. With the number of hours that many of us spend working, where else do we have the potential to have a greater impact?

If you are known as a Christian, chances are good that your coworkers are watching your behavior. Our actions can be a powerful testimony. When we love our coworkers who are not treating us well, we are light in a dark world. God’s light shines right through when we bring joy and peace into our workplaces. You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled (1 Thessalonians 5: 5-6).

It is really easy to fall into behaviors that don’t honor God when everyone else is modeling them, and even encouraging such behavior in others. It can be a tough choice to react differently, but with God’s grace, it’s possible.

My friend let light into a dark place when she responded to a negative situation with grace.

The workplace can be dark, but even in the darkness there is light. When we make the choice to positively impact negative situations, we are allowing God’s light into the darkness. We are not alone. God is with us. Turn on the light today.