The Journey 37: Transformation in my work place /school
Read: Daniel 1
Key Verse: “To do what is right and just is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice. [Proverbs 21: 3]
Robyn Johnson in his “matador community” web page mentions an incident related to Lt. Ehren Watada. He was the first commissioned officer of the U.S. armed forces to refuse deployment to Iraq. Moreover he also created a furor with his objection and public denunciation of the war in January 2006. Watada entered into the army fully believing the official justifications for the invasion. However, after researching the history of Iraq and the events leading to the American invasion, he concluded that the war was based on false evidence presented to Congress-specifically the existence of the elusive weapons of mass destruction. Watada therefore believed his own involvement would be constituted as crimes against peace under command responsibility. He asked to be deployed to Afghanistan, where he felt there was a true moral imperative to defend the United States, but when the army refused his request or his resignation, Watada did not board the plane with his unit. Military authorities subjected Watada to a court martial in February 2007. His crime was because he was speaking the truth and standing what he felt was right. On Tuesday’s we meditate on how we can bring transformation in our workplace or school
God has placed all of us in different position and responsibilities. Some are in academics while some are in position of power. But wherever we are placed I believe God want us to be channels of transformation. Transformation in our work place is all about taking your faith in to the corporate world. Today we start meditating on a new portion from the Word and also a new character who was channel of transformation in the workplace. The character is a well known character-Daniel. Daniel and his friends are chosen for the service of the King. A huge boost for their career. People who are chosen for the kings service are people who are young men without physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude of every kind of learning, well informed and quick to understand. [ Daniel 1: 4]. All these qualities were present in Daniel and his friends. The problem begins when they are under training and are under close scrutiny especially in terms of their diet because the king wanted the people who were being absorbed into his service, people who would be strong and wise as mentioned in verse 4. I believe Daniel had justification to go along with the orders of the King. But he chose otherwise. For him faith and relationship with God was not something that one does in the confines of his home, faith was to practiced and also exercised even in the context of his work. According to Daniel, the exercising and practicing of ones faith means to stand for your faith principles, which can be very costly at times and where you may have to pay an enormous price for standing for your faith principle. Here in this context there is chance that Daniel and his friend might loose the job of serving in the Kings palace. But Daniel I believe, is resolute that if one stand for the Lord, He will stand for us and if the position and privilege is something that God desired for him, no power on the earth can take away the career, or the position or the privilege that God has set apart for him. We also need to be like Daniel exercising our faith wherever we are placed with the firm belief that God expects us to stand for our faith principle even if it means to pay a price. What has been set apart for us by God will be ours, only if we stand for the Lord.
Ready to exercise your faith in your work place or school?
For Further Study: Jeremiah 17, Jeremiah 19
Let us Pray: Dear Lord we forget that it is you who has placed in different position in our work place and in our school. Help us to always stand for you and for what is right thus paving way for transformation to take place. Amen