John is a town planner, surveyor and an LICC Associate speaking on a range of workplace issues. A partner at Roger Tym & Partners, John advises on planning policy and development projects for public and private sector clients. His book, Ten at Work is published by IVP in November and will be launched at LICC on Monday evening, 28th November.
1. Discovering Contentment
"You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor." Exodus 20:17
'We allow our thoughts to rob us of our present enjoyment because of our inability to exercise contentment.' John Parmiter
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2. Remaining honest
"You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor." Exodus 20:16
'Some people think that lies are mostly harmless or are only a temporary problem. Perhaps we talk about 'white lies'. But as we tell that 'little' lie to shift the blame off us, we transfer it on to someone else. We may have managed to get ourselves off the hook, but we have just put someone else on it.' John Parmiter
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3. Prospering with integrity
"You shall not steal." Exodus 20:15
'While this commandment is, at face value, a prohibition against stealing any thing at any time under any circumstances, it is so much more than mere protection of other people's possessions. Yes, there is an obvious impact of stealing on the life of any community, and the community will punish the transgressor, but the essential feature is that the transgressor loses not only freedom (both temporal and spiritual) but the presence of God.' John Parmiter
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4. Maintaining healthy relationships
"You shall not commit adultery." Exodus 20:14
'The workplace is often a social setting and so a primary place for forming relationships, which is good. Workplaces that foster healthy relationships can also be places of real fulfilment and blessing. Given the right circumstances they can be places where marriages and healthy relationships are valued, appreciated, supported and safeguarded, but much depends on the prevailing culture.' John Parmiter
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5. Keeping the peace
"You shall not murder." Exodus 20:13
'The anger expressed daily in our workplaces is rarely commented on; we just seem to take it for granted. We tolerate aggressive individuals because they are productive. Worse still, we bring our work culture home with us, as we berate our family members for poor performance or missed deadlines!' John Parmiter
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6. Living with our past
"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you." Exodus 20:12
'We need to acknowledge the wisdom and experience of older people at work and encourage them to take on the role of mentors to younger workers. We should treat them with respect, and encourage and support ways of keeping them productive and useful if they are able, for the good of the organization and their own self-esteem.' John Parmiter
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7. Keeping a balance
"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy." Exodus 20:8
'The fourth commandment is the longest and the one most directly relevant to work. But it's not just about work. The Sabbath is so much more than the restful end of a weary week: it is what the week has been working towards: a day that belongs to God, one that he has poured his blessing into and one that is holy (separate). It is a day set apart from other days, when we can delight in God and his creation, rest like him, and reflect on how he has blessed us.' John Parmiter
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8. Maintaining respect
"You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name." Exodus 20:7
'This commandment tells us that God's name matters: to God himself, to us, and to everyone else, even if they don't recognize it. It matters to God, as he is holy, the name above all names. It matters to us, as by elevating ourselves we are downgrading God, which is spiritually corrosive and unhealthy. It also matters to everyone else, as our work culture demonstrates too many examples of pride, arrogance, one-upmanship, power-broking and me-first behaviour, which harms and dehumanizes people.' John Parmiter
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9. Working in freedom
"You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below." Exodus 20:4
'Our work culture is suffering from an unhealthy worship of success, fame, influence and money. Or all three! And it is harming us and those we deal with, infecting our whole work culture.' John Parmiter
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10. Staying focussed
"I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me." Exodus 20:2-3
'When I go to a networking event I find that I talk myself up: I describe significant projects I am involved in and impressive clients I am working for. I do all this to impress others because I work in a me-first work culture which influences me.' John Parmiter
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