Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 3:00 — )
PROGRAM D-8308
If you’ve ever had difficulty with a lazy co-worker, you’ll be interested in this episode. Fran is dealing with an assistant who is very lazy, and Fran finds it hard to like her. Jesus has been helping her learn how to deal with this coworker named Joyce.
On the way home from work this day, after a confrontation with Joyce about re-doing a proposal, Fran says to Jesus, “Lord, I could see a slight change in Joyce after I tried to find the right words to motivate her. Thanks for bringing that verse from Proverbs to my mind about choosing my words carefully. But really, I shouldn’t have to baby her just to get her to do her work. Nobody babies me.”
“Well, nobody babies you, that’s true, but you do have someone to help you,” Jesus reminds her. “You see, Fran, you have to keep remembering that Joyce doesn’t have my presence with her like you do. Have you ever thought about what her life must be like? Do you know her at all?”
“Know her? Well, all I know is she’s divorced, has a two-year-old boy, I think, and from what I hear, I guess she has a lot of financial problems.” Fran tries to piece together what she does know about Joyce. “Someone told me she’s in the bars a lot, looking for guys and getting drunk.”
“You know, Fran, you have some things in common with Joyce. Why don’t you get to know her better?” Jesus asks.
“You mean because I’m a single mom, too? Yeah, but beyond that we certainly don’t have anything in common. She’s not my type, Jesus; I don’t think so,” Fran tries to dismiss the suggestion.
“She’s my type, Fran, and she’s not in your life by accident,” Jesus repeats what he told her earlier, but this time with more conviction.
“Okay, okay—so what do you want me to do?” Fran asks.
“First, I want you to pray for her every day. Then I suggest you invite her to lunch and just get to know her better,” Jesus replies.
“Pray for her and invite her to lunch. Yeah, I guess I can do that,” Fran agrees. “Can’t say I want to, but since you suggested it, I will.”
“You know, Fran, my kind of love is an action, not a feeling. If you’ll obey me, you’re going to learn some important lessons about loving people you don’t like.” Jesus encourages Fran.
“Well, okay, I’ll see if she will have lunch with me tomorrow. I’ll do my best, but you know I’ll need your help because I don’t feel like doing it,” Fran confesses.
“I’ll be right there with you. You can count on me,” Jesus assures her.
And with that they pull in her driveway and Fran puts on her “mother hat” to begin her second and most important job with her two children.