… Part of the Becoming a Missionary series.
My wife called me this morning in tears. She works the night shift and sometimes has to work with a guy who has a habit of upsetting almost everyone he works with.
Today was the first time he had made her that upset and my first suggestion to her was that she file a complaint.
She shouldn’t have to work in an environment where her co-workers reduce her to tears. Right?
She has a right to work in a safe environment. Right?
ABSOLUTELY!
Then something started nagging at me.
If we truly are living as missionaries in this land, then do we have to think a little differently?
I believe that the answer is a resounding YES!
You see, I cannot figure a way to file a complaint against this man with his employers and then tell him how much Jesus loves him.
- One more complaint might get him fired. Then do we go visit with him and his family and say “Sorry we got you fired, it was your own fault, but let me tell you about how you can get forgiveness from Jesus”?
- When we meet him and his family in the store, how do we say “We filed a complaint against you that led to you being fired. Don’t you just want to be Christians, like us?”
Now, I’m not trying to say that as Christians we should just roll over and take any beating that comes our way but I AM suggesting that there is another way, a more Godly way, the missionary way.
If we want to take something to a higher authority, we should take it to the highest authority. On our knees. In prayer.
We need to learn to trust God to stand up for himself and his children.
If we are here as missionaries, then our comfort and happiness is not our first priority. Our comfort and happiness play second-fiddle to our desire to share the good news.
Debbie’s job is just her job. Being a missionary is her calling. Jobs come and go, callings stay until Almighty God changes them.
Maybe the alternative way is that, instead of retaliating aggressively against this man, we should take him out to dinner. Maybe instead of fighting against his abrasive attitude we should befriend him and try to help him overcome whatever is causing it.
Romans 12:20 talks about this:
On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
It is easy for us to look at the rights we are given by society and claim those rights as God-given. It is much harder for us to look past our own struggles and hurts and act in a way that will open doors for us to share the good news of unconditional, unfailing love and forgiveness.
It’s easy to think like the world – much harder to think like a missionary!
That’s for sure Peter! Here’s what I have to tell myself and others, dead people don’t have rights. It may be hard and I may not want to hear it, but it is true. The life I live is Jesus’. I have to constantly remind myself of this.
I like that!
“Dead people don’t have rights!”
Sorry, Peter. I am not sure I agree here. That man is affecting people’s productivity when he messes with people’s minds and upsets them. Is it fair to your wife’s employer that he pay someone who will hurt the productivity of those around him? I don’t think so. I do think that before complaining to her supervisoring, she should tell the man what he did that was so upsetting, and warn him that she will go to a superviser next time, but in the meantime she wishes to show him the compassion of Christ…
And believe it or not, you don’t always close a door to friendship when you stand up for yourself in an appropriate way. Sometimes it gains you a respect that is helpful in presenting the Gospel.
Just my thoughts…
Interesting…
I think she should hit him with a Jesus frying pan. (win-win).
I’ll tell her. She’ll like that idea!
In theory, it looks like two votes for supervisor telling, and one against….
After sitting through lots of management training for a Christian employer, we have always been told to take it up with the offender first, explain how you feel, and if the behavior doesn’t change, go up the “food chain.” Witnesses to this first interaction are encouraged. I’ve had this happen twice with good results, but mostly because there were harassment overtones and I think that scared them off. I guess my first question would be “did she say anything to him at the time?” And if so, and he continued to be a poop, I’d follow the chain of command. A person like that can ruin a whole workplace for the rest of the group. The principle of beneficience rules in the workplace sometimes – the greatest good for the greatest number of people.
And then go buy that frying pan.
great thoughts! What if the guy that upsets everyone is a christian? (I know a guy like this)
I’m afraid I have to dissent as well. I believe a portion of your “conversational scenarios” to be in error. It isn’t “Sorry we got you first”…because you did not. His behavior will (or will not) be the cause of his termination. I person who turns in another for murder, which causes that person to be put to death does not kill that person…he or she assists in the process of bringing them to justice.
I understand that dead people have not rights (I do like that one), but it is not always the loving thing to do to either ignore or reward inappropriate (or sinful) behavior. If your child misbehaved, would your ignore it or take them to Toys ‘R US? Sometimes the most loving thing to do is to help the person get well, and that isn’t always a pleasant thing for the sick person. It isn’t about your wife’s rights…it is about that man’s future.
It seems to me that overlaying the church model for discipline would be the most biblical approach in this instance. First, she should talk directly with him (a courageous act to be certain). If that fails, take two or three others (you could be one of them) and talk to him. If that fails, take it up with management.
By the way,I meant “fired”…not “first”.