I've been working as a telephone salesman this past month while undergoing the interviewing process at a local church, and it's been a real trial. During my small group, one of the guys asked what our current low point in life was, and I admitted it was my job. He then asked what our current high point in life was, and I replied it was also that same job! The guys in my group were a bit confused.
In fact, everyone has been a little confused about my decision to work at this company lately (including myself!). I don't like phone sales, I have no experience or interest in the product, and my boss told me that I have to sacrifice my morals in order to work there. In fact, he stood before me one day and commanded me to sin...
I'm prone to sin like everyone else, but I think it's important to stand your ground against immorality; especially when people try to convince you otherwise. Psalm 118:8 says that "it's better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man."
I use the word "especially" for a reason. It's not because I think that it's okay to sin when no one is looking, or to play the part of a "holy roller" when everyone is. I say "especially," because you have an incredible opportunity to witness God's glory at the moment of peer pressure.
My natural bent is to submit to peer pressure. I started seeking acceptance from other people instead of God during 7th grade, and it's a path I never want to repeat. Life gets really hard and ugly when sinful people control your behavior; as in my experience of addictions, discouragements, embarrassments and flat-out suffering.
But there was something special about the day I stood my ground, and I think it had to do with a few blessings that God wanted to provide.
As my boss stood before me yelling, "TELL HIM TO GO (bleep) HIMSELF," I realized how much this job sucks, and I didn't want to be here for the rest of my life. In fact, the sooner I get out, the better! So at that moment, I stood my ground, and said "NO."
(In most of my choices there is usually a selfless motive and a selfish motive. Trying to get fired was the selfish one, but there was a selfless one as well.)
Paul said in Philippians 3:7-8 "I once thought these things were valuable, but now consider them worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with Him." NLT
I use to love money and the opinions of people, but I'm starting to love Jesus more. I still struggle to be single-minded for Jesus (everyone does), but it's getting easier as I realize how worthless other things in life are when compared to Him. He is becoming what I really want by following through on His promise: "Delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4
So what were the blessings that God revealed to me on the day I held up under peer pressure? He revealed that He was in control of my situation, by preventing me from being fired. He revealed that my desires were being transformed by Him, He revealed that His worth was growing in my heart, and He revealed a bit more of Himself.
But those are only a few of the blessings...
