Scripture Read: Daniel 1:1-6:28
Focus Passage: Daniel 1:8-21
Date: 11/13/10 – 12:48pm
Journal Entry:
This passage brings to mind moments during my career working in the secular world when I was faced with a tough decision and the main thing at stake was how much my faith mattered to me. The best example that comes to mind was when I was working as a stockbroker and I had made the decision to attend seminary at DTS. The transition to Dallas was still months away and I desperately needed to keep my job at the firm I was working at. Normally, this wouldn’t be too great of a concern as most jobs simply pay you for the labor you give to the company. In the brokerage industry, the salary you might receive at the beginning of your career (as I was) is directly tied to the expectations the company has for your future success and the future revenue you will bring to the firm once they’ve helped you get on your feet. What this means is that if the firm doesn’t feel you’re a worthy investment, they have every right to can you, no matter what your intentions may be for the short run.
I had a difficult dilemma before me: do I keep quiet and pretend that I’m still building my business while I’m secretly just waiting until my departure date for DTS to get closer or do I confess my intentions to my boss months in advance at the risk that he fires me on the spot and just gets my office ready for the next employee? I prayed earnestly about what to do and I had my church praying as well. Nervously, but with confidence that the Lord would take care of my needs, I sat down with my boss and hit him with the news. Thankfully, I had a few bargaining chips that other employees helped me to realize and my boss that day accepted my offer to stay with the firm for a few months as I helped transition my clients to other brokers in the office. If it wasn’t for the recent resignations our office had and the torrent of market fear that swept over every client during the 2008 calendar year, my boss probably couldn’t have cared less about my offer. In my eyes, God had worked the entire situation so that I could be faced with such a difficult decision, but when I chose to honor the Lord, he allowed it to work out just right so that His name would be glorified in my life in front of fellow employees and the people at church who were praying for me.
I can’t but see the parallels from Daniel’s situation to my own back in mid 2009. Many people look at Old Testament stories and have a tough time seeing the model they offer for application in modern times. The situations may look different, but the principles of honoring God with every aspect of one’s life remain the same. Amen to that.
at the trailhead 