I hope you had a good weekend and are looking forward to the start of another week. Many people experience what we call “the Monday Blues,” at the beginning of the work week. There are so many challenges; so many things require us to make important decisions, some of which may be really difficult.
In the story below, I would like you to put yourself in the character’s place, and consider what you would do.
“When I called, you answered me; you greatly emboldened me.” – Psalm 138:3, NIV
Todd was facing pressure at work. A project his firm had promised a client was very far behind schedule. He was responsible for the project so he brought it to his boss, looking for advice on how to handle the situation.
Unwilling to anger their biggest client, Todd’s boss advised him to lie. He wanted Todd to tell the client that not only was the project on time, it was being completed under budget too. He even gave Todd the falsified expense reports.
Todd struggled with what to do. He wanted to come clean with the client. He didn’t see how any good could come of lying.
But he was also concerned about what his boss would do. Would he retaliate and fire Todd? He thought of his family, of his wife with their new baby. How could he look her in the eye when he’d promised he’d always take care of their family?
Todd showed up to work early Tuesday for the client meeting. When he felt squeamish about lying, he thought of his newborn. Right before he was scheduled to go into the meeting, he received a text message from a friend with Psalm 138:3 in it.
Curious, Todd looked up the meaning of embolden and learned that it means “giving someone the courage or confidence to do something”. The verse was just the reminder he needed. He paused to ask God to embolden him. Then he went into the client meeting and told the truth with courage.
God, thank You for the gift of courage. When I’m facing a test of integrity, please embolden me. Show me how to handle these moments with wisdom and bravery.
Can you do what Todd did, or would you chicken out and do what your boss wants you to do even when you know it’s wrong? Making the wrong decision can cause you a lot of stress. Think of all the scenarios that could follow a bad decision and write them in your journal. And maybe you can share them, and any other thoughts you may have, with us.
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