Part II
Promotions are nice, aren’t they? And they seem to be few and far between these days, so certainly if one is offered, any smart person would be foolish to turn it down?
You don’t refuse more money, more power, and more prestige— climbing another wrung on that ladder to success. But Fran is faced with a decision to make about a promotion which indeed she may need to turn down. As she puts on her Forever Eyes and thinks about her priorities.
Fran’s boss, Marilyn, invited her to lunch in a very fancy restaurant, and then told her the good news that because Fran has been so successful with her new client, Mitchell’s, the company is giving her a promotion with a hefty raise attached and management status. It is heady information, and needless to say, Fran is flattered and overjoyed.
However, Jesus quietly reminds Fran that she is already working too much and losing time with her kids as a result. He urges her to remember that her children are far more important that jobs.
So Fran has told Marilyn that she will have to think about this promotion before she can accept it. “You know, I never even thought about the possibility that you might turn this promotion down, Fran,” Marilyn says, shaking her head. “I guess I’m so used to people clawing their way to the top as quickly as possible, that it’s a little puzzling to meet someone who isn’t hell-bent on climbing the ladder.”
In her spirit Fran can sense that she has an open door, a marvelous opportunity to tell Marilyn why she is different. The thought frightens Fran. Her palms get sweaty and her heart starts beating faster, but she knows full well that she should never be ashamed to tell anyone about her walk with Jesus. So, she takes a deep breath and responds to Marilyn.
“Oh, don’t get me wrong, Marilyn, I’d love to take this promotion. I’d love to prove that I’m superwoman and can walk on water. But the facts are, I’m not. It’s something I’ve been learning lately. In the past I’ve found a lot of my identity in trying to be superwoman, and that’s a big mistake. So, now I try to put on what I call Forever Eyes, and look at each situation from a long-term perspective. It helps me to make better choices.”
“Forever Eyes—that’s a strange term. Part of your religious belief?” Marilyn asks.
“Yeah, I guess it is. Jesus teaches us to lay our treasures up in heaven, not on this earth, and by that I think he means not to be focused on stuff that won’t last forever,” Fran tries to explain in non-theological terminology. “My kids are going to last forever, and I don’t want to wake up in ten years regretting the fact that I didn’t give them the foundation they needed in these early years. They are eternally important; promotions are not.”
“You are willing to give up this promotion if you feel it will impact your kids in any way, is that what you’re telling me?” Marilyn asks incredulously.
“Yeah, I guess you’ve netted it out perfectly,” Fran replies.
“Do you know how that kind of attitude is viewed by the male executives above us, Fran?” Marilyn asks.
“They say we asked for equal treatment and equal opportunities, so we can’t bail out when it calls for equal commitment and sacrifice. It doesn’t help us females break through the glass ceiling when competent women like you refuse to accept promotions because of your children.”
This catches Fran off-guard. She gets a knot in her stomach. Quickly she sends up another emergency prayer to Jesus, “Lord, what do I say now?”
His Spirit quietly assures her that she must not back away from what she knows is truth; she must not compromise. And in that moment, Fran knows what to say to Marilyn.
“Wow, that’s heavy, Marilyn. But it doesn’t change my thinking, because my first priority is to my kids, not to women in business. I believe as long as I work hard and perform well for this company, I have given everything expected and required. And furthermore, this is not a female issue, as I see it. It’s a family issue.”
At that, Marilyn seems to be at a loss for words, and the silence between them lengthens. But Fran senses it’s a time for her to be quiet and let Marilyn make the first move.
“You’re serious about this, aren’t you, Fran,” Marilyn remarks. After another pause, she says, “I admire you. I really do admire you.”
“You do?” Fran says with shock in her voice. “You’re not mad at me?”
“No, I admire you. You’ve got some kind of guts,” Marilyn says. “I first saw it when you refused to do the proposal the way I wanted you to. Remember the Drexel account?”
“How could I ever forget,” Fran replies. “I almost lost my job over it.”
Marilyn smiles, “Yeah, I knew then you were a different kind of cat. Then when you took on John Sims when he started making his usual passes at you—then I knew you had some kind of strength I’d never seen before. And now, to see you be willing to turn down money you need because you refuse to short-change your kids, I’m impressed. But I’m not sure if I think you’re smart or weird.” Marilyn gives Fran that tongue-in-cheek look.
“Well,” Fran replies. “I’m certainly not extra-smart and in the context of my commitment to Jesus Christ, my actions aren’t weird. You see, Marilyn, more important than anything else in my life is my commitment to Jesus.”
“You know, you’ve tried to talk to me about that before, but frankly, it just makes me uncomfortable,” Marilyn confesses. “I’ve never been around people who talk about Jesus as though they know him.”
Fran smiles and says, “Well, I can see how that would seem weird. But when you do know him as I do, it’s not weird at all. He is more real to me than you are, Marilyn. He is my best friend, my counselor, my guide. I know him and he knows me—very well!”
“See, that’s seems really weird, Fran. How can you know a man who doesn’t exist? He’s dead. How can you know Jesus?” Marilyn asks.
Fran’s mind is spinning. Fran can’t believe she’s got such an opening to talk about Jesus. Again she quickly asks Jesus to help her. And for the next hour, Fran talks with Marilyn about Jesus. Marilyn knows almost nothing, so, in the simplest words possible, Fran explains, over and over again, what it means to know Jesus.
Marilyn listens intently. As Fran shares how she daily communicates with Jesus and how he gives her strength, how he healed her pain and comforted her when Jim died, how he cares about her and her kids, Marilyn is very touched and tears start to roll down her cheeks.
“All my life,” Marilyn says, “I’ve always wanted someone who just loved me for myself, and I’ve never had it. You know, Fran, every day of my life my mother told me I was a mistake and should not have been born, and if abortion had been available to her, she would never have had me.” Marilyn is crying unashamedly at this point.
“Oh, Marilyn, I’m so sorry,” Fran says. “What pain and hurt. Oh, Marilyn, Jesus understands your pain and he loves you so much. He wants to be to you everything he is to me.”
“But I’m not good like you are, Fran,” Marilyn says. “I just can’t live like you do.”
“Marilyn, don’t you understand that the reason I’m good—if I am–is because of Jesus,” Fran explains. “You don’t have to get cleaned up to come to Jesus. You come to Jesus to get cleaned up. He’s the only one that can change you.”
“But what will my friends think if I suddenly become a religious fanatic?” Marilyn looks at Fran with red swollen eyes.
“They’ll think you’re weird,” Fran smiles, “but they’ll want to know where you got that peace and joy.”
“How do I do it?” Marilyn asks.
“You just talk to Jesus like you talk to me,” Fran says, touching her hand. She looks around to see that the restaurant is almost empty, and the waiter is leaving them alone. She prays that Jesus will keep it that way for a few more minutes.
“You mean, now? Talk to Jesus now?” Marilyn says.
“Why not?” Fran replies. “You don’t even have to close your eyes. I’ll start and then you say whatever is on your heart.”
“Okay,” Marilyn agrees.
Fran doesn’t even bow her head but begins, “Lord, it’s me, Fran, and with me, as you know, is Marilyn. She’s struggling with this idea of becoming a disciple of Jesus, and while she wants to do it, she’s also scared. I know you understand that, so please give her the assurance that you do love her and you are listening to what she has to say.”
After a few moments’ silence, Marilyn begins, so quietly at first that Fran can hardly hear. “God,” she says, “I’m Marilyn, like Fran said, and I am indeed scared. I’m not sure I can believe everything that Fran has told me, but I know she’s got something I don’t have. And I also know that I need you. I’m not a good person; you know all the bad things I’ve done. I don’t have a kind heart like Fran, but she says you’ll give me one. At any rate, if this is really the truth, then I want to accept you into my life. Please forgive me for being so bad and please help me to be good. Amen.”
They both sit in silence for a few moments. Then Fran says, “I know that God heard you, Marilyn, and he is faithful to his promises. He said in the Bible that anyone who comes to him in simple faith will never be rejected. I believe you are accepted. Welcome to the family. You are now my sister in Christ.” And with that Fran can no longer hold back the tears. She gets more tissues out of her purse, and puts her head in her hands sobbing.
“Why are you crying, Fran?” Marilyn asks as she grabs one of her tissues.
“Because,” Fran says, “all the angels in heaven are having a party right now because you accepted Jesus. Did you know that, Marilyn?”
“Oh, come on, get serious,” Marilyn says.
“I am serious. The Bible says that when one sinner repents and comes to the Lord, all of heaven rejoices, and I’m rejoicing, too. My joy just happens to come out in tears,” Fran says as she wipes her eyes again.
“You really think that did it?” Marilyn says. “That’s all I have to do? No trial period? Nothing else—just ask God to forgive me?”
“That’s it—simple faith and repentance,” Fran assures her.
They look at each other with big smiles and ruined make-up! “Hello, my sister,” Marilyn says. “I have to get used to this.”
They talk for a few more minutes and Marilyn understands that she is a baby Christian needing much teaching and discipleship, and Fran tells her about their discipleship program at church. Marilyn is willing to do a one-on-one Bible study with another woman, and Fran offers to set it up for her.
On the way back, Marilyn says, “You know, we almost forgot the purpose of this luncheon—your promotion. Now, what am I going to do about that?”
“You do whatever you have to do, Marilyn, but I know that I can’t take on any more work or responsibility that would demand more time. If that means I can’t accept the promotion, so be it,” Fran says.
“Well, let me think about it. I’ll get back to you tomorrow,” Marilyn says.
On the way home from work Fran stops at the bookstore to buy Marilyn a Bible that’s easy to understand. She can hardly keep her feet on the ground, as she recalls the great miracle that has taken place today.
The next morning she takes the Bible in to Marilyn’s office and lays it on her desk, wrapped in a box with a special note from Fran written on the inside. Mid-morning Marilyn walks into her office, shuts her door, thanks her for the Bible, and says, “I’ve got good news for you. I’ve gotten approval to assign an assistant rep to you with the Mitchell account. The business they’re giving us warrants two people. So, you are indeed a Senior Account Rep, with an assistant reporting to you. Can you accept the promotion under those circumstances?”
“You better believe it,” Fran says, as she shakes Marilyn’s extended hand. “Thanks—oh, Marilyn, thanks so much.”
“My pleasure,” she replies. “You know, Fran, I prayed this morning that Jesus would help me get this approved. I think it worked.”
“I know it worked,” Fran replies. “See, you’re already learning to practice the presence of Jesus in your life. I told you he’d be there for you all the time.”
“This morning when I woke up,” Marilyn says, “I just lay there in bed and kept saying, ‘Is this real or am I just imagining it?’ I really do feel different. Like heavy burdens have been taken off my back. Is that normal?”
“Totally normal, because indeed heavy burdens have been taken off your back, Marilyn,” Fran replies. “That burden was sin and pain and loneliness. You don’t have to carry them anymore. You’re free.”
“So what you’re saying is that I am now a liberated woman, is that it?” Marilyn says with a laugh.
“You got that right,” Fran says. “You never knew liberation until you accepted Jesus.”
“Well, as you suggested, I’m going to start reading the book of John. Thanks again for the Bible,” Marilyn says.
She walks out and Fran stands in stunned awe at what God has done. All she can say is “Thank You, Jesus, thank You, Jesus.”
God opened such a wonderful door for Fran to talk to Marilyn—all because she was willing to turn down a promotion. That is a surprise ending.