Light in the Shadows - Bright in the Workplace // Aaron Shaw

Light in the Shadows - Bright in the Workplace // Aaron Shaw

What drives someone to seek a life without alcohol and still show up well at work? This message from Cedar Point Recovery zeros in on exactly that, as Pastor Aaron Shaw talks about being "bright in the workplace" as part of the Light in the Shadows series. Aimed at people in Christ-centred recovery, the talk speaks straight to anyone who’s ever been one person at church and someone very different at their job.

Aaron shares honestly about his own past in a screen-printing shop, dropping f-bombs, grumbling about life and faith, and realising years later that "only one of us looked like a Christian. Wasn't me." That mix of humour, vulnerability and direct challenge makes the message easy to relate to, especially if you’re still piecing your life back together after addiction.

You’ll hear repeated reminders that work isn’t a curse, that God mentions it hundreds of times in Scripture, and that "works don't save you, but saved people work." Using passages from Philippians, Daniel and Colossians, Aaron argues that about half of your waking life is spent on the job, so if faith doesn’t show up there, something vital is missing.

He presses the idea that "people who never read the Bible will read you" and that integrity at work can speak louder than any sermon. For those in recovery, there’s a clear call to drop the victim mindset, stop "navel gazing" and let God use ordinary jobs as mission fields. Practical steps include making amends to co-workers you’ve misrepresented yourself to, praying before each shift, and deciding ahead of time what gossip or break-room behaviour you won’t join in.

If you’ve ever thought, "Who I am at work has nothing to do with who I am at church," this message might nudge you to rethink that. What would change if you really believed you work for Jesus, not just the boss you can't stand?