I was an Administrative Assistant for an electronics company in my 30’s. I worked for two salesmen in the company. The company designed home theaters in the homes of the wealthy.
Many of our clients only lived in our location for the winter months. So, the equipment was installed one year and was only used for a brief time before they traveled back up North. Sometimes when they returned the following year the equipment wasn’t working correctly. Most of the equipment, if not all, had only a one-year warranty.
When the clients returned the following winter, and were having trouble with the equipment, they would call their salesman at our electronics company to inform them about their difficulty. One day one of the salesman I worked for told me about one such client. He told me to go into the database and change the purchase and installation dates on the required forms so that the equipment installed last year would still be covered under the one-year warranty.
I knew this was wrong. I struggled with doing this, because I knew I may be reprimanded for not doing that. I could possibly lose my job. However, if I did it, I could face some serious consequences if it was ever found out by anyone outside of the company I did that. Shoot, I know that if push came to shove that if a legal situation ever developed the blame would be shifted to me by the higher ups in the company. I changed the date. It was my doing. It wouldn’t have mattered if I was told to do it or not. I CHOSE to do it knowing it was wrong. My conscience wasn’t right within me. It was lying.
I procrastinated talking to my boss about his request. I finally told him I couldn’t do that. I told him it was wrong and went against my beliefs of what was right and wrong. I’ll never forget what he said,” Oh, you’re one of those.” He told me he’d change the information himself.
It wasn’t very long when I received a phone call from a woman at work asking to speak to that salesman about the administrative position. I forwarded the call to him and my heart sunk.
I went to the Human Resources employee in the company and asked if I was being replaced. Of course, she couldn’t divulge anything. I’d have to take it up with my boss. I knew this before going in there, but couldn’t help myself. So, I went to my boss and asked him straight out if he was replacing me. He told me he wasn’t and mumbled some other things. At first, I believed him and had a false sense of security. It didn’t last long.
I’d like to say that I didn’t lose my job for standing up for what was right, but I can’t. It wasn’t very long afterwards that he called me into his office and let me go. Apparently, he had found someone else to do his dirty work.
The Bible teaches you are to be submissive to authority. However, it doesn’t mean to be so submissive you go against what God says is right. You should never compromise the truth of God’s word for anyone. After all, it is not them that will pay the consequences. It is you.
A lie is a lie. There is no such thing as a little “white lie”. I hate that expression. A lie is deceptive and hurts the people you lie to no matter what color it is.
Ye shall not steal; neither shall ye deal falsely, nor lie one to another
Leviticus 19:11
A faithful witness will not lie; But a false witness uttereth lies.
Proverbs 14:5
I’ve set my mind regarding the matter of lying. I’m going to do my best not to lie about anything. What about you?
There’s one situation where I haven’t heard my daughter lie before. I admire her honesty and directness in a situation where it’s hard for anyone not to lie. Have you ever asked someone, “Do I look fat in this?” I bet you have! If you don’t want an honest answer, don’t ask my daughter. I like this about her. I don’t want to go anywhere in an outfit that makes me look five feet wide!
It was tempting at work to do what has always been done. The company who made the equipment and honors the warranty may have never found out I’d changed the dates. However, it is important to me to have integrity. It is important to be trustworthy. It takes courage to stand up and do what’s right when no one else is. Oftentimes, doing the right thing costs you something. It cost me my job.
However, God works those things out that were meant to harm us for our good if we love him. After I was fired, I went to work for a Temporary Agency until I found permanent employment. When I finished one assignment, they’d send me to another company. It was during that time of temporary employment that a company I was temping with hired me permanently at the highest salary I had ever made. It was also a job I had had no experience.
God knows you will be tempted. God knows you will fail sometimes. There is no one that doesn’t fall short of the glory. He just asks that you do your very best.
God is good. He honors those who honor him. I, for one, am proud to be “one of those”.
Inside Tammee's Closet 