Employment as Justice: Opening Doors, Restoring Lives

 

Esther is the founder of Myrtos.

What does it mean to follow Christ as a business owner?
 

For Christian business owners, discipleship doesn’t stop at the church door; it extends into hiring, leadership, and the way we treat those society often leaves behind.

I want to share how God calls us to respond to prison leavers — not as a side issue, but as a matter of justice, compassion, and faithful witness.
This is about seeing employment not merely as a business decision, but as one of the most powerful acts of discipleship: restoring dignity, creating belonging, and opening the door to real, lasting change.This calling is also deeply practical. Many employers want to do the right thing but feel uncertain, ill-equipped, or fearful about recruiting prison leavers.

Through my work, I help employers and voluntary organisations navigate those realities well. Myrtos exists to bridge that gap. I equip organisations with trauma-informed, inclusive hiring practices, so they can confidently and safely recruit prison leavers — embedding compassion, wisdom, and good governance into everyday business decisions.
 

A Childhood Shaped by Lived Faith

I grew up in a Christian home and, over many years, had the opportunity to witness my parents being Jesus to those around us. When I was four years old, we moved to a small town, and our first neighbours stole my parents’ car. I’m too young to remember what happened next, but I do know that my parents conducted themselves with the grace and mercy of Christ.

Those neighbours moved on, and a new family moved in — a single mum with three boys of varying ages, and an on/off boyfriend. The mum and her boyfriend struggled with addiction, and the middle son struggled to manage his anger. Instead of trying to avoid this family, my parents embraced them.

What I witnessed were numerous cups of tea, hours spent listening, and healthy boundaries being put in place.

This meant that the youngest son would spend hours at our house, and on some nights would be brought over by the police, who had been called out because of violence in the home.

My parents didn’t try to fix or solve this family’s problems. Instead, they showed them the love of Jesus by being present, listening, and holding boundaries.

I wish I could say that this family’s story ended happily — but it didn’t. And that is precisely why I share it. Because even when our efforts don’t produce the outcome we hope for, Christ still calls us to show up, to love, to hope, and to act.

 

Learning to Love Inside the Criminal Justice System

At 23 years old, I stepped into the Criminal Justice System as an Assistant Psychologist at HMP Bristol. A year later, I became a Probation Service Officer, working daily inside prison walls.

I risk-assessed and supported men whose offences ranged from theft to manslaughter. There were moments when the weight of their crimes pressed heavily on me. Yet in those moments, God reminded me that it is not my place to judge, but my place to love — with the compassion of Christ, expressed through professional integrity.

That realisation transformed how I approached my work, and the men I served.
 

Continue reading here:
www.bristolspring.co.uk/bristol-spring-blog/employment-as-justice

Contact: esther a_t myrtosconsultancy d_o_t com