Not Compromising Yet Providing Alternative Solutions
不妥协，却找出和解的办法
"Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see." Daniel 1:12-13
The wise Christian worker not only stands resolute in his christian values. Although he knows that he should not compromise his christian values and do anything that might bring God's name to shame, he does not just reject and risks others calling him stubborn, inflexible or cause the work to come to a halt.
We should be wise to provide alternative solutions to co-workers/superiors that still will get the job done yet not compromising our faith. When Daniel was asked to eat the royal food and wine, he refused. However, he provided an alternative solution that he was to be fed vegetables and water to drink and after ten days, compare his appearance with the others.
找出和解的办法需要付代价
Now, coming up with an alternative solution involves wisdom and a price to pay. We have to pray for wisdom to think of these alternatives. We have to also be prepared to pay a heavier price like in the case of Daniel where he had to eat vegetables instead of meat and drink water instead of wine.
When I was in the army, the senior warrant officers would often urge the younger specialists to go with them to KTV lounges during the nights where they would indulge in drinking and women. Often, they lie to their spouses that they are having night training and have a valid excuse to come back late at night. When i was asked to go with them, it was a simple decision for me to make. No. i made a vow to be faithful to my wife and more so to God, to obey His word. So do you think they saw lesser of me just because i didn't go with them?
I worked harder during training, helped them when they needed it, chatted with them on the daily concerns of living, and i believe that i forged a closer and truer bond then those who had gone to the lounges with them. Though these involve paying a price, you have to spend time, effort, but its worth it.
当和解不了。。。你尊容神，神必尊容你
Once in the polytechnic, i was offered a chance to go to MIT on a exchange course for five weeks. I was supposed to learn some best practices there and bring it back to be implemented. However, during that time, my baby was just two months old. Both mother and child needed my support greatly. I wanted to go, get the exposure, but I had to fulfill duty to my wife and child. I tried to think of alternatives. Its not easy sometimes. I wanted to bring them along but it was winter then and it would be too cold. I thus knew that bringing them wasn't the solution.
I tried negotiating for a shorter duration and do more video conferencing to make up for it but management refused. It was to be five weeks. Sometimes, you cannot compromise and others also will not accept your alternative suggestions. It is in these instances that you just have to stick with your resolve and forego some things. Till this day, i don't regret my decision not to go. In the end, there were several many other projects/chances for me to show my contributions and also balance fulfilling duty to my family.
"Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up. ” Daniel 3:16-18
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