I worked for a lot of companies as an Ironworker. Is part of the trade to travel and follow the work. Some of those companies, especially when I worked in the mountain states were small and not that well run. I can say this with all honesty because I owned two companies myself and as good as I was at doing my job, I was a terrible owner/operator.
But there is one company that stands out from all the rest, including my own. I won’t use its real name, to protect the innocent (I learned this from years of watching Dragnet as a kid). Let’s just call it Valley Steel.
I came to work for them in the mid 80’s. Pretty much at the height of my alcohol usage. But also, at the height of my working career. My addictions never kept me from working and being good at what I did. But it meant that I put every sober effort into my work while my personal life was a disaster. With that being said, I had a reputation of being a good project manager and field superintendent. That is what I was hired to do for Valley Steel.
Everything should have been good. We have plenty of work, some decent projects. I had a couple of great foremen and hard-working crews. My problem was the owner. He either made bad decisions when required or would over-rule my field decisions after the fact. Despite the best efforts of our field crews, we gained a reputation as a company on the brink of disaster. Not good!
The problem got so bad that I decided to do something, anything to wake up the owner. I decided to have bright yellow tee shirts made up with a popular saying going around at the time, “Who da boss?” brazened across the back. With a picture of the character who made it popular on the front. I gave these shirts to all my crews to wear anytime I knew our ‘boss’ was going to be on a job.
Within a week he called me into his office. Of course, he asked me what the shirts meant. And once I explained it to him he asked whose idea it was. It was a sure thing I was about to be fired, but the way things were going I didn’t think this company would be around next year, so…. I told him it was me. The amazing thing is, he did not fire me. In fact, we had one of the best conversations I have ever had with an owner. Things began to improve.
So why do I tell this story. Because I think many times this is exactly how I live my life. I believe I forget way to often who is the boss. Just the other day I was in a crisis over a sermon I am working on. I have been struggling with the ideas for this for weeks. I keep putting it away and going to another topic, but I know this subject is what the Holy Spirit is leading me to share. But even knowing that I am bound and determined to make decisions without prayer or overrule the ideas I get after I finally do pray. Result is, well, a disaster.
So today as I took time out to write this I decided to clear my head to really be open to the promise of Romans 8:26-27: “In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” Because when I am humbled in the idea that I do not even know what I should pray, it certainly helps me see that I can never make right decisions without His leading. Allowing God’s Spirit to be my boss.
What it came down to with that owner years ago, was that he would have to come to a place where he could trust in me. Sure enough he and I could hash problems out, but bottom line was trust and faith in me to run his company. You know what? He did that! He trusted a booze soaked drunk to make right decisions. And I can thank God today, most of them I made were ok. He allowed me to be his company’s boss.
How much simpler is our decision today? There are no risks in allowing God to be the boss. Here is what He says: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future,” (Jeremiah 29:11) God has the plan, he knows the business of life and salvation. We can and need to trust Him.
So, I am looking forward to His inspiration as I finish this sermon. My prayer today is that you take a moment to know, “Who da boss!” When you are struggling with that next BIG thing allow the Boss to take care of it. He’s got it handled!
Blessings and Happy Sabbath,
2/16/18
