Have you ever been really disappointed by the conduct of someone you thought was a friend or employee and then they turned on a dime and really let you down? Most of us have indeed experienced that many times over. People sometimes change like the tide coming in and going out and often it seems for no apparent reason.
I gave up long ago in being ‘overly’ disappointed and losing sleep over it when I experience this phenomenon with friends or more often than not employees. I have seen time and time again where an employee or ‘friend’ had a great attitude one day and then the next their attitude inexplicably completely changed for the worst with no warning. Often it becomes such a problem that the relationship completely ‘tanks’ and we end up parting company and going our separate ways.
I have counseled many disgruntled employees throughout the 35 years that I have been in management. Often I mention to them that they formerly enjoyed a wonderful attitude with the company and now they are acting as if the company was the worst place in America to work. In the overwhelming majority of the cases the company has remained exactly the same in every way, offering the same opportunity as when they formerly enjoyed working there, but for whatever reason their attitude towards it changed. Sometimes it seems as if they are bipolar or something as they do not act like they are even the same person that they once were.
I remember one lady who worked for me at one of my former companies for nearly ten years. Her attitude was like a ping pong ball going from tremendous to awful. I saw her win employee of the year and voted ‘most liked’ by her peers and a year later get a written warning for arguing with those same employees and acting like a complete jerk to everyone with whom she come in contact. Nothing had changed but her. I had a tough time with this and after many failed attempts at counseling her and attempting to bring some stability to her conduct and performance, I finally lost my patience one day and fired her.
As humans we long for stability. We want friends and employees who will be loyal and cover our backs through thick and thin. Alas it is very difficult for anyone to find this in the flesh that inhabits this old world. We can however find it in Jesus Christ. He does not change with the tide or wind. He is not influenced by emotion, temptation, jealousies, covetous, politics, et al. He is rock solid and stands with us through this life and forever. It is refreshing to know that God and His word, the Bible, will remain unchanged forever. Jesus Christ is the stability and the ‘Rock’ for which every person innately longs. Unfortunately some folks just have not discovered that yet. Maybe you and I can share that with them today. How about it, are you willing to share the good news about Jesus with someone today? I already have and now it is YOUR turn…
Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday,
today, and forever.