On Being Put On The Spot at Work
Being prepared at work always makes sense. Whether you're
presenting an idea to a customer, a boss, or a colleague, knowing what
you want to communicate, and how you want to communicate it, works a lot
better than "winging it." At least that's been my experience.
However, every once in a while you may find yourself put "on the spot."
With no time to prepare, and little time to think, someone asks for your
input or opinion. Even someone like me, who makes it a point to always
be prepared, can be caught off guard. For example, an employer required
attendance at a training session with outside "experts" designed to
foster cooperation among colleagues. They made us play games that were,
to put it mildly, juvenile and idiotic. Without wasting time on details,
I'll just say that once or twice I really had no idea how to react
during some of he exercises. Indeed, I felt "naked," having no clue what
to do or say. The "game" seemed to be designed to foster this feeling. I
think the idea was to learn to trust and rely on your "team" members
more - or something like that. I forget how I survived my time in this
torture chamber, but I did.
Frankly, I could have - and should have - trusted in God when confronted
with all this. Unfortunately that was a concept with which I was only
vaguely familiar at the time. We this to occur today (and I earnestly
hope it doesn't!), I might offer up my discomfort as a sacrifice,
consistent with the penitential spirit of my Lenten discipline. One can
only hope!
To help sustain our Lenten discipline at work, we continue our journey
with Our Lord during Lent, posting the Stations of the Cross, one at a
time, using St. Alphonsus Liguori as our guide. (Click HERE for a complete pdf of St. Alphonsus's version of the Stations of the Cross.)
Station 10: Jesus Is Stripped of His Garments
St. Alphonsus writes:
Consider the violence with which the executioners stripped Jesus. His
inner garments adhered to His torn flesh, and they dragged them off so
roughly that the skin came with them. Compassionate your Savior thus
cruelly treated, and say to Him:
My innocent Jesus, by the merits
of the torment Thou hast felt, help me to strip myself of all affection
to things of earth, in order that I may place all my love in Thee, who
art so worthy of my love. I love Thee, O Jesus, with my whole heart; I
repent of having offended Thee. Never permit me to offend Thee again.
Grant that I may love Thee always; and then do with me what Thou wilt.
Relating this to our work day:
If you're put on the spot at work, if you're in a position where you
feel "naked," Lent will be a good time to test your reliance on God in
all things. Take a moment or two to meditate on Station 10, Jesus is
Stripped of His Garments. Picture His suffering compared to those
moments of discomfort. Doesn't it help put those moments in perspective?
Now take this a step further. Recall our last post about human respect.
Think about our concern with what others think of us. Think further
about our attachment to all things of this world. Wouldn't we want to
free ourselves of these? Wouldn't it be so much better if we could go
about our business every day without concern for what others think? Or
to put forth our best efforts with the sole intention of giving glory to
God rather than focus on "what's in it for us"?
We conclude today's thoughts with the simple, moving exhortation with
which St. Alphonsus Liguori approaches each Station of the Cross:
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