Jeff’s Java Hour @ Chicklit Power
Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power…
I know I left you with sort of a cliff hanger last week, but before I move forward, I need to take a step back, as my mom always says, and sort of rewind the story because I realize I made a huge leap that caused many to get the wrong idea. I mean, it’s my tendency to omit that got me in this dilemma in the first place. See, about two years ago, I had gotten let go from Chipotle in California; the reason? Well, I began to have a crappy attitude because they had been promising me a kitchen management position and it just wasn’t happening and I began to feel as though I was getting taken advantage of. Hindsight is always 20/20, right? The truth is I didn’t handle it right.
So fast-forward a couple of years to now, actually to a few weeks ago, and I’ve gone through the hiring process, all the interviews, and not once did I mention, hey, by the way, I, uh, didn’t end it on such great terms in California. I omitted that information on my application. I didn’t tell them what happened with my last experience at Chipotle because, hey, they didn’t ask. In my heart, I felt maybe it wouldn’t follow me and if they don’t ask, then it isn’t lying … right?
Oh, how wrong I was and I wasn’t ready to admit to you all that I had made an omission mistake not once, but twice! And then I expected God to bless me on top of it! Well, it doesn’t work that way, sort of.
See, when you are walking in the Spirit, He does not let you get away with things like that even if they are “little” compared to other things. [Galatians 5:16]
Let me see if I can come up with an analogy. Ah, I have one: How do you keep a mischievous puppy from running amock when you are walking him? You keep him on a short leash; that’s how. You watch over him, discipline him, and love him and as you gain confidence in the dog’s ability to listen to commands, you extend the leash but you never purposely let him wander too far off and you always try to keep him within sight.
You know, I think it is kind of funny that God, quite a few times, in His word refers to us as sheep and Himself as a good Shepherd and that is so true. You know how dumb sheep are? I wish you could see the look on my face right now because as I am writing this for you, I get it! We really are like sheep who constantly need to be told the right way to go. And back in those days, I don’t know if shepherds still do this, but if the sheep would run away a lot, then the shepherd would break the sheep’s leg. Now after doing this he would have to carry that sheep on this shoulders the whole time and being so close to the sheep’s ears, he would constantly talk to the sheep in a loving voice so that the sheep got to know his master’s voice and he would begin to trust him like he had never trusted him before [John 10:27]. Oh, that I would be like a sheep and just let myself be carried close to Him, and listen to His voice to remind me of these things, like not to omit truths vital to a situation.
Now to get back to my story, I kind of went off on a tangent there, sorry. So my Good Shepherd broke my leg when on the day of my orientation, I was sent home because they were told that I was labeled a “non-rehire.” I was so embarrassed and crushed at the same time. I had put all of my eggs in this basket and my boss lived next door to me and it just made sense that this was going to be my job and I was going to do well there. But I was a stubborn sheep.
So you would think my punishment would follow me all the days of my life; I mean that’s what I feel I deserve, but I am learning that our God does wish to bless us despite us, that He loves us too much to leave us the way that we are, with any propensity to sin and miss the mark by omitting a truth.
Just when I thought I would really spiral too hard and too deep, I got a return call from an application I had filled out, and last Friday, as you were reading my blog, I was being interviewed; and it was a great interview. Two hours after the interview, I got the call that I was hired! Here’s the crazy truth: THIS job is so much better for me and my family. See, I’ll be making $3 more an hour than the job with Chipotle, and here’s another HUGE blessing: it’s Monday thru Friday so our church life will not be interrupted! Can you believe it? See what I mean when I say we don’t necessarily get what we deserve from the Shepherd who loves His sheep too much to leave them the way that they are?
There are still some hoops to jump through for this job, but I recognize now that God loves me so much, He had to discipline me. All in all it was a very hard lesson to learn but as I allow God to carry me on His shoulders, He speaks to me and I am getting to know His voice better and better, to trust Him and rely on Him more and more.
So that’s it, friends, my java joiners. Integrity will follow me all the days of my life for I have learned the moral of the story: omitting the truth is the same thing as lying, and lying doesn’t represent well for all that I believe.
Lord, I love you. You make beauty out of ashes. I can’t fathom Your glory and your power, nor am I able to comprehend the depth of your love for me. I just pray that you would continue to give me the revelation of your love for me and for others; that it would move my heart to love others like you love them. Thank you for turning my bruises into blessings. Amen.
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