Promotion

“So, did you plan for this promotion then? You know, late nights, corporate socialising and so on?”

“No, actually, I did nothing of the sort.”

After yelling in celebratory excitement at the news of a friend’s recent promotion the other day (and very senior level promotion, I might add), I settled down, comforted that it is indeed well.

You know that verse that says that he that is diligent with his work will sit before kings? In the book of Proverbs, I think. Talk about it. I was reminded that my quiet time should be more affectionate and less of a religious requirement.

Imagine walking into your office one day and being asked by senior management if you wanted the senior most position in your department? Imagine being told that senior management believed that you had the very capability to excel in the position, but are willing to give you some time to try out the position and if you didn’t like it, if you felt that it was too demanding, you could go back to your old position in a few months? Imagine.

Well, that’s exactly what happened. The position had unexpectedly become vacant and immediately my friend came into remembrance. of those in her workplace who could change he story there for good. Hmm. May we all come into the remembrance of those who can change our stories for good.

The most curious and amusing part of this for me was the reaction of another who was relayed this good news. Their innocent and blameless question was as I quoted at the top the page:

“So, did you plan for this promotion then? You know, late nights, corporate socialising and so on?”

My friend’s response was simply that The Lord has ordered her steps. No, don’t scorn. Hear me out.

Imagine working well and working late. Working diligently. Determined to conscientiously work well. Imagine wondering why your senior had that position and not you, given that you so obviously are performing better in the position than they are. Imagine asking your Creator, The Creator of the universe when your lot is going to change, over and over again.

Imagine just from nowhere, you also start to progessively change your corporate wardrobe. Less smart casual. More corporate, business wear. Imagine, unbeknown to you, beginning to look the part, even if you did not know what the part was.

So when the corporate lawyer asked my friend how she has planned the promotion, the only answer she could give was that The Lord had ordered her steps. Being in the fierce corporate legal world, he was used to hostile takeovers, mergers and acquisitions, boardroom dramas. To him, you get by in life only through skilful cerebral, intellectual strategy. Imagine his shock to hear that none such deliberate strategy had been planned.

Fear not my child, I am with you always