Expected

Laura, our training coordinator, called me aside Monday. The Lord told me what it was going to be about: my witnessing on the job.

Well, Laura confirmed that in the kindest way possible. She is a Christian herself, and so is our GM, but someone had complained because I was pretty aggressive. So she just told me to wait until they ask me something. I guess I can do that. [smirks]

But it gave me the opportunity to explain my strategy: Cracker Barrel Old Country Store has a “country fresh” environment, by theory. Meaning that profanity and sexual innuendo aren't particularly welcome. Well, it may not be welcome, but it's certainly been abundant! Now, I'm not naïve, I have worked in restaurants before, and I know from experience the kinds of people who are drawn to the restaurant business.

I cannot handle too much verbal filth without sinking into it myself. I used to curse, and words still exit my mouth that I must apologize to the Lord for from time to time, and that is due to my acceptance of the cursing around me. I must resist sin in order not to fall prey to it.

I have two options in my fight: I can make myself the focus by claiming offense, or I can make the focus God by pointing it out as sin. I have, up to this point, chosen the latter. CBOCS policy prefers I do the former. Laura was delighted that I did the latter, but she has a job to do. I had chosen to do the latter because it gets to the root of the problem: if people are not saved, they will do evil without restraint. If they get saved, the Holy Spirit lives inside them to help the overcome sin, as He does in me.

I don't know who complained, but I have clearly witnessed to several of them. Admira actually asked me why I was so fervent about Jesus, and I was able to tell her, “Because Jesus saved me from my sin and gives me power over sin in my life.”

I'll continue to do the former. Laura was even further pleased that I had shown so much restraint by not constantly griping about the dirty talk around me. She was also glad to be apprised of the violations of company policy so that she could do something about it (we might be hiring some new servers). I'm glad it came out, and I went out and had a good night. May you have a good day. Thanks for praying for my coworkers.