“Are you still traveling next week?“My mother asked. I wasn’t sure whether she was simply asking for her own information or for the reason that the previous week, splashed on TV, was news on -Drumbeats of war- in the country I was schedule to travel to.
“The trip was cancelled with no explanation. The director wants my boss to handle the assignment that I have been working on for weeks”I lamented.
Is it possible that I did not exude the confidence one acquires over years of experience, at the meeting with directors? Or perhaps it’s because I look young.
Considering the energy and the long hours I had put into that assignment,I was certain there was nothing I could not handle .Advisory work simply meant explaining what I had been attending to. As a matter of fact, it now meant doing double work as I briefed my boss on every detail I had done on the assignment so as to bring him up to speed.
“One of the decision makers felt that the parties negotiating the contract are male chauvinists and may not take you seriously”. My boss would later in the day mention.
Really? Who in this wide world thinks like that anymore in this 21st Century? But haven’t we exchanged emails, spoken on phone with the parties? Will I not be clarifying and advising on a few issues during my trip before we sign the contract?” These and more questions ran through my mind.
Lord, keep my attitude in check at this rate.
That weekend I felt angry, looked down upon and unrecognized to say the least. I couldn’t help think of one young man, Joseph. He might not have been a board room executive nor did he hold a white collar job but he had purposed to give all he did his best. His integrity was never in question .He was excellent at whatever he did. Remember, this was a man who had every reason to be bitter with his own life, having been rejected by his own brothers who had intended to kill him and only on the mercy of one, did they decide to sell him as a prisoner to Egypt.
Joseph must have had a solid foundation and confidence in His God. That whatever He did, he did it whole heartedly as unto the Lord and not merely for his master. The boss did recognize his good work and with time put him in charge. He did not concern himself with anything that Joseph handled. The recognition was short lived for soon afterwards, we see the boss throw his best employee to prison(….thanks to Mrs.Potiphar’s failed seduction plot…)Yet thereafter we still see Joseph’s consistency.That at the prison he still stands out and is put in charge of the rest of the prisoners. The young man would later be second in rank in a foreign country!
You see, sometimes it calls for humility and consistency of character to heed to the call of honoring those in authority over us,by speech and conduct. To still continue doing good even when we are ill treated or undermined .We might have greater ideas than those in authority over us but God would still have us treat them with utmost respect. You might even be more qualified that the one leading you at work but make a deliberate decision to respect the office.
You see, one young man further showed us the beauty of honoring those the Lord has put in authority over us. David had been anointed as King over Israel yet it wasn’t time yet for him to be King. Even when He had an opportunity to kill Saul, he chose to honor the Lord and would not lay a finger on God’s anointed one. Some conflicts or battles are best fought by someone else on our behalf.
As I reflected on such truths, I thought of the proverbs 31 woman. Her husband sits at the city gates. Only leaders would sit at the city gates in those ancient times. Yet the proverbs 31 woman was also accomplished in her own right. Talk of a woman in real estate! One who did travels far and wide like the merchant ships to bring her food from afar, one who out of her own earnings plants a vineyard.This woman managed her own world pretty well! Yet we are told that She speaks with wisdom, and on her tongue there is tender instruction. The one in authority over us may not always be right or we might even be gifted uniquely from them but we are expected to still honor them. That where we are not able to give instruction, the Lord is able to speak on our behalf as we speak to our Father .The Lord is able to instruct the hearts of those leading us even without us saying a word. King David confessed at some point that even at night his heart did instruct him.I wonder if there was someone praying for him.The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord,like the rivers of water;He turns it wherever He wishes.As you talk to your heavenly Father,you may find you need not say a word to the one in authority over you because your Father will do so on your behalf :-).
You see, the 21st century woman has been told she has to be assertive if she is to get anywhere. That she needs to speak out her mind when she knows she is right .I subscribed to that school of thought briefly years ago but had to very quickly snap out of it!Sorry ladies but,I believe in honoring God’s order.At least in the family front we should never try to be above our husbands.There is God’s order of authority and I don’t say so because i am not married yet :-). It’s a decision I made and which i pray God helps me to honor as it’s anchored on what He says. The earlier we learn of God’s view of authority, the easier it will be to strike the balance when you have to wear a different hat at the work place.My mother taught me years ago to remember to leave the work hat and title in the office.To love wearing the different hat at home and respect the God given position when i get married.That’s God order.
I have observed at the work place, colleagues trying to outshine each other to look good in the eyes of the CEO or a particular director with influence. I have even been advised, that I need to be seen and heard if am to get any recognition and for me to climb my way up.
Yet I know of one whose divine favour elevated Esther from a poor, orphaned young woman with no back ground to a queen. One who is willing to let me have the goodness and the riches of His Kingdom as I pursue His heart. One who revealed to Queen Esther her battles were won best in silence but as she sought God’s intervention. One who is continually exhorting me to continually adorn myself with what is beautiful in His sight: a gentle and quiet spirit regardless of any titles i may get along the way.
So be it corporate arena, as someone’s wife one day and wherever else He places me, I will choose to honor those God places in my life to lead me and I purpose to be consistent.So help me God.
So yes, my attitude is now in check!
Esther, Psalms 16:7,1 Timothy 4:12,Proverbs 31:26,Colossians 3:23,1 Samuel 24,Proverbs 21:1
This article was first published on the LSR Christian Magazine in 2012.
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