Getting Ahead

I read a Forbes article last week on how to be the one that gets the promotion. While it wasn’t rocket science, I could see how some people might find this as good advice. More interesting to me was the timing. You see, I’ve been praying for opportunities on the job and when the title and link appeared on my homepage I knew it couldn’t be coincidence.

First a little background on my profession. For the past 10 years I’ve worked as a professional fundraiser. To be successful in this business is to be respected, to be honest, and to be trusted. We are driven by a code of ethics and a commitment to both our cause and those that support our cause. To misrepresent the need, to lie to a donor, or to simply not follow a donor’s wishes is unacceptable practice. Particularly in my area of expertise, corporate and foundation relations, unethical behavior is a guaranteed practice that will kill a career.

So then, I approached the Forbes article expecting profound advice on how to be dependable and trustworthy while all the time getting noticed by the boss. Instead I read a series of brief paragraphs on how to thrust yourself into the limelight, to get the attention of the powers that be and, how to manipulate and influence the decisions they make. Suggestions of how to focus attention on your performance versus that of colleagues greatly outnumbered any suggestion to “do the right thing.” It was difficult to visualize any practical application on the job – my job.

Another interesting thing happened last week. I attended the funeral of a very dear brother in Christ. While I don’t recall the specific scripture read, I remember it was from the Thessalonian letter. That evening when I sat down to read, I turned to I Thessalonians and began. In the NIV, chapter 4 begins with the heading, “Living to Please God.” Verses 11 & 12 read, “Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody. “

I know the secret to getting ahead in this life! I know that finding the Forbes article was coincidence. I know that God’s response to that article was not.

Bubba