Key Bible Verse: For I live in eager expectation and hope that I will never do anything that causes me shame, but that I will always be bold for Christ (Philippians 1:20). Bonus Reading: Hebrews 11:24-26

Shutting my office door behind him, my boss said, "I think Mike has a nose problem. I heard that he's heavy into cocaine. I want you to get some dirt on the guy and fire him."

I was taken aback. Mike had been one of my best salespeople for years. My first reaction was to do the right thing: I wanted to talk honestly to Mike. If, in fact, he did have a problem, I wanted to help him get his personal and professional life in order.

But when I mentioned this approach to my boss, he blew up, saying, "I don't care how you do it, just get rid of him. I want him out of here now!" I was caught between a rock and a hard place: I could do what was right and risk being fired myself, or choose not to make waves by being a "team player," as my boss would call it, and do the dirty work he had demanded I do.

Well, I copped out and made the easier decision, the wrong one. I saved my job by unjustly taking the job of another. My boss's ego and my fear of unemployment hurt the entire staff. Not only did we lose a good employee, we also lost the trust of our sales team. The decision may have saved my job, but I lost a piece of my soul.

—Larry Julian in God Is My CEO

My Response: When has fear kept me from doing the right thing? How would I respond differently now?

Adapted from God Is My CEO (Adams Media, 2001) by permission.

Prayer for the Week

Give me the courage, Lord, to take a bold stand for truth and justice, even when it's risky.

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