OJ Experience

I had one more semester of school left before graduation.  But before that could happen I had a summer to get through.  I found a job in my future field that was close to my home and it was also my first job that I had in my new career.  It would be a great opportunity to apply what I've learned and also be able to add that on job experience to my resume.

My first job with this company was to help one of the veteran employees, Brian, who was needing help with a big project.  It was a difficult hard labor type job that tested my limits.  The blessing came from finding out Brian was a believer.  During our lunch hour he would turn on the radio and we would listen to the Christian talk station.  As I met the other employees after a month into this job I found out from their responses that they were surprised Brian was still on the same job from a month ago.  I was young and I thought things were progressing rather well.

It wasn't until mid-July I was called into the office so Tom the owner could go over some paperwork with me.  But when I arrived early I quickly found out the meeting wasn't about paperwork, rather my performance.  It seems I didn't meet Brian's expectations and I was apparently expected to have more expertise (based on what school I was about to graduate from).  It was a difficult situation for being only on the first rung of the company ladder.  But it was even more perplexing from a Christian stand point.  All those sermons Brian and I listened to during lunch time just seemed to be meaningless to him.  I wondered why he just didn't approach me first before going to the owner?  Or even mention how to correct something I was doing wrong.  As far as I knew I was doing just what he needed done and doing that the correct way.

I'm sure in some strategic way by Tom, I never saw Brian again the rest of the summer there.  I helped out the other techs and they really helped me learn some things.  In fact they were more forth telling about how Brian was lazy and should have been done with that job a long time ago.  I can't say I agreed with them, cause I knew the long hours and sore muscles that became my wounds from working on it.  Was I really lazy or was it Brian that was actually lazy and I took the fall for him?

Maybe you've found yourself asking similar questions.  You know those questions we ask, but know we really won't find out the answer.  I find comfort in knowing that those who love God all things work for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. - Rom.8:28