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Have you ever worked with someone who was jealous of you? In this episode of Fran and Jesus on the Job, Fran discovers that a coworker is not only jealous of her, but seeks to ruin her. As I periodically present these stories of Fran and Jesus, it is my prayer that you will be encouraged to practice the presence of Jesus on your job and you will seek his guidance in every situation you face.
On this Wednesday morning, Marilyn, Fran’s boss, comes into her office and says, “Fran, I want you to meet Jenny. She just transferred here from our Boston office and she’ll be working with Phil as his assistant.”
“Glad to meet you,” Fran says, as she extends her hand. “If I can help in any way, let me know.”
“Yes, Jenny, you can always count on Fran. She’s one of our best account reps, so she knows the ropes really well,” Marilyn adds.
“Well, that’s nice,” Jenny says, “but I can hold my own. I. . .uh. . I was sales leader in the Boston office last year, but I had to transfer out here because my husband took a new job, so. . .”
“Well,” Marilyn chimes in, “we just didn’t have a sales slot for you right now, but I’m sure something will open up before too long.”
“I sure hope so,” Jenny says. “I didn’t put in all that hard work as an account rep to work as an assistant.” It’s obvious that Jenny is not happy with her current assignment.
As they leave, Fran thinks: She acts like she’s too good to have that job. I think she’s going to be trouble. But as soon as she starts that kind of thinking, the Spirit of God convicts her. “I’m sorry, Lord,” she prays quietly, “forgive me for thinking of her in negative ways. Help me to have the right attitude toward her.”
Fran is learning a very important principle about dealing with people. When you are working with someone that you don’t particularly like, don’t allow yourself to indulge in derogatory thoughts about that person. Instead, pray for him or her. Every time you are tempted to think unkind thoughts about that person, just stop right in the middle and change those thoughts to a prayer. Pray for your attitude toward the person and pray for that person.