Pulling back the curtains, streams of sunlight poured in as I gazed at the ocean front view. Staying in a resort hotel, even in the off-season should be a pleasant experience. But how pleasant can it be if you are wondering if you just lost your job? Great way to make a first impression, by challenging your new boss on an ethical issue. Not a big issue to anyone else at the meeting of managers and management officials. Yet it was a big issue for me that could not be crossed.
That moment of my life was almost 20 years ago and yet whenever I think of it I can remember the smell of the ocean, the darkness of my emotions that spoiled the sunset and the look on my manager’s face. The confrontation was not bad or brisk. Yet it was somber to realize that it was a make or break moment in my career. The reason I relive it from time to time, as many of us do with life impacting moments, is because it said a lot about who I was and what I stood for. I have never regretted the decision and ironically that decision energized my career rather than hurt it.
Standing up for what you believe in is one of those things I consider a non-choice. There are people who wrestle with moral dilemmas and issues every time they are confronted with one. However, I believe that when you make firm in your mind what your values are everything else comes a bit easier. I never had to debate my decision those 20 years ago and I still don’t. Faced with major choices I know some things are never up for debate. I don’t have to wonder what I would do with a choice that would compromise what I believe; the answer is no compromise of who I am.
The tuff choices really aren’t that tuff when you decide up front that you believe and stand for what the Bible teaches. Not just about eternal life and salvation, but about eternal principles and values. Make a decision to stand for something this day and everyday and you will discover two things. First, you won’t feel crowded, a lot of people that you thought were close to you won’t be. Second, those who are still around in your life, when you look into their faces you will feel good about it, especially that person in the mirror!
Copyright 2007 © Charles Lyons
No comments:
Post a Comment