The job dilemma

[Dropship]

1- Thankfully I'm retired, but during my working life the Jobcentre used to send me to apply for jobs.
Once they sent me to apply as an assistant in a convenience store, so I happily went in for interview.
But I took one look at the booze, cigarettes and porn mags on the shelves and decided I didn't want to handle that stuff, so I made my excuses and walked straight back out.
It got me in hot water with the Jobcentre but I didn't care.
What would forum members have done in my situation?

2- Another time, the Jobcentre sent me and other people on a "work for your dole" scheme refurbishing a local Hindu temple, but I refused pointblank to go, and got my dole temporarily cut as a punishment.
Again, what would forum members have done in that situation?

 

[Michiah-Imla]

I think you made the right decisions.

 

[Hidden In Him]

1- Thankfully I'm retired, but during my working life the Jobcentre used to send me to apply for jobs.
Once they sent me to apply as an assistant in a convenience store, so I happily went in for interview.
But I took one look at the booze, cigarettes and porn mags on the shelves and decided I didn't want to handle that stuff, so I made my excuses and walked straight back out.
It got me in hot water with the Jobcentre but I didn't care.
What would forum members have done in my situation?

2- Another time, the Jobcentre sent me and other people on a "work for your dole" scheme refurbishing a local Hindu temple, but I refused pointblank to go, and got my dole temporarily cut as a punishment.
Again, what would forum members have done in that situation?

I wouldn't like working at a convenience store. Selling alcohol, rolling papers, cigars that the drug heads empty out to put their weed in etc. would be bad enough, but it's just having to DEAL with that crowd every night that would be the clincher. I have a Christian friend that does it, and he's really good at it; very sociable and talkative and everyone likes him. But a lot of nights when I come in it looks like even he is fraying at the edges, and he immediately starts complaining about how the world is going to Hell in a hand basket, LoL.

As for building a Hindu temple, at first I'd be like, "Oh, cool!" After it started to sink in what I was actually doing, I'd back out and quickly. Building interesting architecture is one thing. Promoting polytheism is another.

 

[amigo de christo]

I wouldn't like working at a convenience store. Selling alcohol, rolling papers, cigars that the drug heads empty out to put their weed in etc. would be bad enough, but it's just having to DEAL with that crowd every night that would be the clincher. I have a Christian friend that does it, and he's really good at it; very sociable and talkative and everyone likes him. But a lot of nights when I come in it looks like even he is fraying at the edges, and he immediately starts complaining about how the world is going to Hell in a hand basket, LoL.

As for building a Hindu temple, at first I'd be like, "Oh, cool!" After it started to sink in what I was actually doing, I'd back out and quickly. Building interesting architecture is one thing. Promoting polytheism is another.

My friend , years back i too worked at a convient store . Its taxing on the soul . While i always had joy in the LORD ,
i had to eventually leave that place . It took a toil . Praise GOD i started my own business .

 

[amigo de christo]

Its time to praise the LORD . So let all that has breath praise and thank the glorious Lord .

 

[LearningToLetGo]

It's best to be up-front with prospective employers before being sent on interviews. In this case tell the agency that you cannot work in an explicitly anti-Christian environment such as a Hindu temple. The convenience store is a bit dicey but honesty is still the best option.

Once I was searching for work and the headhunter tried to get me to apply at an online dating site for homosexuals. I flat out told the recruiter that I was uncomfortable in such an environment and to keep searching. It's best not to waste everyone's time.

 

[Rita]

After being a lone Christian in my family and often in the work environment, I have learned to let many things go over my head and concentrate on how my Christian witness might rub off on those around me.
I heard a sermon many years ago about Christians who refuse to go into pubs and how they ‘ feared the influence ‘of those environments, afraid that they might contaminate them. The pastor reminded people that it is us that needs to contaminate others ………
I have no idea if I would have refused the jobs or not as it would depend on what my own conscience would have told me at the time, and that is what we need to respond to…….what is the wrong environment for one person may be the right environment for someone else because God may very well have someone that needs to be influenced and witnessed to..

 

[farouk]

After being a lone Christian in my family and often in the work environment, I have learned to let many things go over my head and concentrate on how my Christian witness might rub off on those around me.
I heard a sermon many years ago about Christians who refuse to go into pubs and how they ‘ feared the influence ‘of those environments, afraid that they might contaminate them. The pastor reminded people that it is us that needs to contaminate others ………
I have no idea if I would have refused the jobs or not as it would depend on what my own conscience would have told me at the time, and that is what we need to respond to…….what is the wrong environment for one person may be the right environment for someone else because God may very well have someone that needs to be influenced and witnessed to..

@Rita The believer has Christian liberty (Romans 14) and should use it wisely. It's not a matter of making up and imposing rules on others.

 

[Jay Ross]

@Rita The believer has Christian liberty (Romans 14) and should use it wisely. It's not a matter of making up and imposing rules on others.

But liberty requires us to comply with rules. In our society we have the liberty to worship God in whatever way we like, but the rules of that liberty is, that we must only worship God in sound proof boxes where the sound of our worship cannot escape so that others cannot hear it. Penalties do apply if we do not conform to the liberty imposed by the Law.

On the other hand our "Freedom" in Christ is a spiritual entity that Christ's Saints gain through their righteous relationship with Him. That "Freedom" cannot be taken from us, but we are liberty to relinquish our "Freedom" and become bound in the world's system of controlling our spirit through liberty.

So often we quote a passage of scripture and ignore some of the important parts of that scripture, like this

Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother's way.​

If we encourage our brothers to act in a certain way for, what we may believe, is the sake of the Gospel, then if that way can become a stumbling block for our brothers, are we applying the scriptures fully in a loving way.

What is most import for Believers in Christ is our "Freedom in Christ," and that cannot be take from us even when the society around us applies their liberty penalties in a bid to get us to comply with their "laws of liberties." Imprisoning us because of our "Freedom in Christ" is not a difficult cross to bear as we are to contaminate those around us with Christ's Love for those people we may rub shoulders with in prison.

Even if we are martyred because of our "Freedom in Christ," what concern should that be to us if God's Glory is on show in our life and the way we may face the shortening of our life.

Having true "Freedom in Christ," frees us from the stumbling blocks that others may want to put in our way even when they claim that they are our brothers in Christ.

The Lord gives us the wisdom to be able to discern their true heart and encourages us to act accordingly.

Rita may God continue to draw you into His loving Embrace where your Freedom in Him is guaranteed.

Shalom