“I understand. If I accept, what happens with the transition at Flash?”
“You’d finish that assignment before assuming your new duties.”
“You’ll have my decision, possibly sooner than your deadline.” Ryan weighed the pros and cons of the job. Mostly he came up with pros, and the cons were his insecurities about taking on more responsibilities. The bottom line was that God called the shots, and Ryan had no idea what He wanted.
He scrolled down through his e-mail, reading the messages that looked important, saving the others until later, and deleting the junk. His cell phone rang, and he snatched it up, eager for the diversion. Fred greeted him.
“Before I go to bed, I wanted to check in with you about our eight o’clock meeting,” Fred said.
“Is there a problem?”
“Possibly. Flash always has a Tuesday morning Bible study for those who want to participate. It’s at seven thirty and usually runs forty-five minutes.”
“Why don’t I join you?” Ryan chuckled. “After last Friday, being a part of a Bible study with the group who hates me might make the next three months a little easier.”
“That bad, huh? I got wind of a few of the remarks, and I handled them from my end.”
“Job security is a big issue, and I don’t blame them for feeling hostile. I’d feel the same way. Anxiety has a way of bringing out the worst in people. It’s the wanting to slit my throat that bothers me.” Instantly Ryan regretted his words. “Hey, Fred, forget I said anything about Friday. Those folks have every right to their opinions. And I’m serious about attending the Bible study, unless you think it might make the others feel uncomfortable.”
Like Satan tuning in for tips on how to make a believer’s life miserable
.
“Fine, Ryan. I think it’s a great idea. We’re discussing First John, chapter three, verses eleven through twenty-four.”
“Thanks. I’ll read it beforehand. Would it help if I brought bagels or a fruit platter?”
Fred laughed. “I have the food part covered. Seriously, is James or Alina giving you trouble? I’ve discussed the situation with both of them, but I can again.”
“Absolutely not. I’ve worked with men like James before. And I believe after the talk Alina and I had, we’ll be able to work together without any serious issues. Fred, this is my job. Trust me in that I can handle situations that arise from the buyout.”
“All right. But if anything comes up with any of my people, I’ll talk to them. What I hope they realize is that Neon is not the enemy. The flip side of this is I could have closed down the business, and none of them would have a job.”
“Unhappy employees happened to be my major in college.” Ryan pushed his “happy” voice. “The work will get done in the allotted time. I’m sure they’ll come to realize what you did is for their benefit as well as the customers’.”
“But I won’t have any of them causing problems on my watch. Good night, Ryan. See you in the morning.”
Once the phone lay on his desk next to his car keys, Ryan opened his Bible to 1 John. He well knew the passage—all about loving each other.
“Let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.”
He cringed. Some well-meaning person could easily use this verse to criticize Ryan’s job of downsizing Flash Communications. He didn’t plan to attend the Bible study to gain support for the transition; he always needed a fresh word from God. Ryan wondered if Alina embraced Christianity and if she would be there. They had attended church together a few times but never discussed the importance of God in their lives. Never lived it either. Going to church was more of “the thing to do” than the meaning of life. Another regret.
Ryan closed his laptop with the realization that his presence in the morning could make matters worse. The last thing he wanted at a Bible study was to open a can of VWMD—verbal weapons of mass destruction. So dare he
“You’d finish that assignment before assuming your new duties.”
“You’ll have my decision, possibly sooner than your deadline.” Ryan weighed the pros and cons of the job. Mostly he came up with pros, and the cons were his insecurities about taking on more responsibilities. The bottom line was that God called the shots, and Ryan had no idea what He wanted.
He scrolled down through his e-mail, reading the messages that looked important, saving the others until later, and deleting the junk. His cell phone rang, and he snatched it up, eager for the diversion. Fred greeted him.
“Before I go to bed, I wanted to check in with you about our eight o’clock meeting,” Fred said.
“Is there a problem?”
“Possibly. Flash always has a Tuesday morning Bible study for those who want to participate. It’s at seven thirty and usually runs forty-five minutes.”
“Why don’t I join you?” Ryan chuckled. “After last Friday, being a part of a Bible study with the group who hates me might make the next three months a little easier.”
“That bad, huh? I got wind of a few of the remarks, and I handled them from my end.”
“Job security is a big issue, and I don’t blame them for feeling hostile. I’d feel the same way. Anxiety has a way of bringing out the worst in people. It’s the wanting to slit my throat that bothers me.” Instantly Ryan regretted his words. “Hey, Fred, forget I said anything about Friday. Those folks have every right to their opinions. And I’m serious about attending the Bible study, unless you think it might make the others feel uncomfortable.”
Like Satan tuning in for tips on how to make a believer’s life miserable
.
“Fine, Ryan. I think it’s a great idea. We’re discussing First John, chapter three, verses eleven through twenty-four.”
“Thanks. I’ll read it beforehand. Would it help if I brought bagels or a fruit platter?”
Fred laughed. “I have the food part covered. Seriously, is James or Alina giving you trouble? I’ve discussed the situation with both of them, but I can again.”
“Absolutely not. I’ve worked with men like James before. And I believe after the talk Alina and I had, we’ll be able to work together without any serious issues. Fred, this is my job. Trust me in that I can handle situations that arise from the buyout.”
“All right. But if anything comes up with any of my people, I’ll talk to them. What I hope they realize is that Neon is not the enemy. The flip side of this is I could have closed down the business, and none of them would have a job.”
“Unhappy employees happened to be my major in college.” Ryan pushed his “happy” voice. “The work will get done in the allotted time. I’m sure they’ll come to realize what you did is for their benefit as well as the customers’.”
“But I won’t have any of them causing problems on my watch. Good night, Ryan. See you in the morning.”
Once the phone lay on his desk next to his car keys, Ryan opened his Bible to 1 John. He well knew the passage—all about loving each other.
“Let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.”
He cringed. Some well-meaning person could easily use this verse to criticize Ryan’s job of downsizing Flash Communications. He didn’t plan to attend the Bible study to gain support for the transition; he always needed a fresh word from God. Ryan wondered if Alina embraced Christianity and if she would be there. They had attended church together a few times but never discussed the importance of God in their lives. Never lived it either. Going to church was more of “the thing to do” than the meaning of life. Another regret.
Ryan closed his laptop with the realization that his presence in the morning could make matters worse. The last thing he wanted at a Bible study was to open a can of VWMD—verbal weapons of mass destruction. So dare he