Hard hats. Steel toed boots. Safety goggles. Hearing protection. PPE?
The words seemed so foreign and strange in my mind. Reading my email once again, I tried to understand how my newest assignment could possibly require me to venture into such a hazardous environment. It wasn’t as if I didn’t believe that people needed to be safe when presented with dangerous situations. I just couldn’t picture myself in a position to need protection from my surroundings.
Normally, I’m the sit behind a desk and tap on the keyboard kind of girl. The greatest threat I expect to face includes a near miss with a misplaced box or a quick stop by the first aid kit to treat a paper cut. I do not go to places that pose an immediate and real threat to my safety. Those activities and tasks are best left to the adventure seekers in the world.
Yet, the email clearly explained that my future contained danger, risk, and (even worse) travel.
“I am not the right person for this project.”
“This is not what they hired me to do.”
“What are they thinking?!”
Those thoughts refused to budge despite my boss’ and other members of upper management’s insistence that they considered me not only a reasonable option for the task, but the best person for the job. Shaking my head, I replayed the conversations in my mind. Yet, I fail to follow their logic.
But Moses said, “Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.” Exodus 4:13 (NIV)
I can relate to Moses in that moment. Not qualified to do the job, worried about how his choice might affect his family, and the need to travel far from home. While all valid concerns and arguments, in the end he still had to make a choice. Once God made His request, no easy paths remained.
While God did not speak to me from a burning bush, I had clearly reached a critical crossroad in my career. I did have a choice. We always have a choice. However, each potential path included benefits and consequences.
1) Accept the assignment with a smile.
2) Refuse the assignment and draw a line in the sand.
3) Complain about the assignment and then accept it anyway.
None of these options provided an easy solution. Each carried difficult consequences that affected both me and my family.
As I considered my options, I summarily refused to accept #3. I detest the middle ground. I have always lived by the rule that I’m either all in or I’m all out. I can’t say that it is the best way to live, but it is a path I can live with.
Therefore, my decision rested on that pivotal belief. To accept happily or to refuse firmly, no other option resonated with me.
Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. Proverbs 19:21 (NIV)
Facing a crossroad in our lives is never comfortable or convenient; yet, our path is filled with them. Return to learn more about the consequences of these options and the choice I made in Crossroads – Part 2 of 2.
BTW - I later learned that PPE stands for Personal Protective Equipment…hopefully, there is at least one other person out there who didn’t know what that stood for either!
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