Questioning The Boss?

Good Saturday morning! A little story to begin the weekend.

Jake arrived back at headquarters from his mission in the field. He did not have to face reporting a failure to the boss, but he did have some questions about the supply chain. Jake thought up a few comments about the management of the company as well, but decided it best to keep them to himself. Jake turned half a thought to his smarting buttocks. The tool required for the job had not arrived, and Jake had been forced to spend much of the previous evening crawling on the floor or squatting behind an equipment rack. At middle age, the body did not take that sort of activity without dishing out some residual soreness. Now, he thought with some trepidation, he would have to sit on those same hurting things through another interminable status meeting.

The boss looked around with that look that said without words, "Shut up and start the meeting."

"Jake, how did the job go yesterday?"

"The job was completed, but supply chain screwed up the tool order. The rack lifter did not arrive at the job site." Jake didn't mention the crawling bit, the boss didn't like to hear the self-pitying stuff.

"I cancelled the order for that tool."

Jake didn't quite know what to say for a moment. "But, that tool is essential to the job! I needed that tool yesterday!"

"I wanted to see if you could handle the job without it. I wanted to know that you are qualified to lead a team through adversity."

"A test? Your job is to provide what is needed for the job! Are you sure you're qualified to lead?" Jake exploded.

An almost subliminal gasp went around the room. A couple of Jake's peers looked at the door as though to make sure it was still there and available for immediate use.

* * * *

A human boss is easy to question, we expect most of them to react much like we would in their position. We might well expect a boss questioned and disrespected in that way to blow up. Yet, do we not at times question God in this way? We think we need this or that and we know the verses about God's provision, and yet something doesn't show up in the way we expect or when we expect it. We complain to God or accuse Him of falling down on His job in some way through our lack of faith. God may not blow up in an Old Testament sort of way, but what we did was disrespectful and unfaithful. Praise God for His mercies that are new each day.

Have a merry and merciful Christmas!
Bucky