No More Compromise | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: No More Compromise | Previous Challenge Entry
By karen hollenbeck
01/27/08
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I was so excited I had been praying about this for months. I had just been hired for a new hair salon which was soon to open inside a major chain store.
The job interview had gone off without a hitch. The district manager had even agreed I could come in after 1pm on Sundays. I would be able to honor my commitment to teach children's church.
Finally, after 18 months in a new town, I would be somewhere I could build up clientele quickly. I breathed a prayer of thanks on the way out of the building.
Two weeks later I was in the door for training at the new salon.I met all the other new stylists and they were just as excited as I was. Things were going well until..Keith and the new manager called me back to make our first schedule .
"You can come in at 10 am on Sunday's for the first month or so," Kieth said. My head shot up from the schedule we were working on. I tried to get the quiver out of my voice as I reminded Kieth I could not work Sunday mornings because of a prior commitment to work in our childrens church.
To my surprise he acted as though I had never told him this at my interview. He also inferred if I could not commit to Sunday mornings I could be easily replaced. Conviction grabbed my heart, God was first in my life.
Shamefully I let fear overtake that conviction, as I had already given up my former job.I agreed to come in. I tried to ease my conscience with prayer. "After all I do have to work Lord," I prayed silently.
The next Sunday I apologized to my pastor and gave over my teaching responsibility to another lady. Guilt trailing me all the way out the church door.
I worked at that shop nine months. A very miserable nine months.The manager and I were always at odds. We took an instant dislike to each other. She was on my case at every opportunity, nothing I did pleased her. The money was never as promised. Hindsight has revealed that instead of furthering my career as a hairdresser the job served as a costly delay. The clientele that I worked so hard to attract, were more attracted to the convenience of the shop than to my skills.When I quit and moved on, few of them followed me.
I spent a lot of time in reflection about what happened there.I learned a lesson about that inward check in my spirit and listening to the voice of God. I learned a lesson about compromise and about trusting the Lord.
When Kieth changed his word to me about the Sunday hours I would have to work, I should have walked right out of there. However fear not faith made a decision to stay.

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