The Christian Working Woman - Fran and Jesus on the Job—Integrity on the Job

As Fran arrives at her office this Tuesday, she’s just logging in to her computer when her coworker walks in and shuts the door behind him. This signals to Fran that something is up but what?   “Hi, John,” Fran says, “have a seat. What’s up?”  “Thanks, Fran. Well,” John begins, “this is kinda touchy, and I need to ask you to keep it between you and me if you don’t mind—okay?”  “Wow, sounds serious. What is it?” Fran asks.  “You know the proposal you helped me with last week for the commercial real estate company? After you helped me figure out what the bid should be, my boss thought my numbers were too high. So, he told me to cut them by 30% because he said we really needed some new accounts to make our numbers this quarter,” John said.  “Goodness!” Fran says. “That’s a huge cut. So, did your manager tell you the company would support your reduced numbers, and you could do the work for those numbers?”   “No, just the opposite. My boss didn’t clear this with anyone else. He said we could come up with some excuses afterward to explain why we had to raise our prices, but we just had to win this account,” John explains.  “Well, the reason he didn’t get it approved is because he knew he wouldn’t get it approved. We trimmed those numbers as much as possible and he knew it,” Fran responds. “Did you agree to do it, John? Tell me you didn’t.”  John hung his head and got very quiet. “I had to, Fran. What could I do? He said if I wasn’t willing to cut the numbers, he’d give the account to someone else. After all I did to get them to let us bid on their account—I wasn’t going to let that happen,” John replied.   “And you’ve already given them the proposal?” Fran asks.  “No, but the presentation is tomorrow, and I am really worried. My boss wants to go with me. He’s afraid I will lose the account, I guess. I know this is wrong, and it will backfire. Now I just feel trapped. That’s why I wanted to ask you what I should do?”  Fran pauses to take this in. Why does John want her input on this? She recognizes this could get risky, so she quietly sends up an emergency prayer, “Lord, what do you want me to say? Please give me wisdom.”  “John, why did you think I could help you with this? I’m just curious,” Fran asks.  “Because you are the one person here I know would do the right thing. I mean, you always seem to be confident of what is right and what is not, and I just thought maybe you would have a suggestion of how I could somehow change my boss’s mind and still not lose this account. I mean, I know you’re a really religious person so, well, that’s why I asked you.”  Fran thinks a moment. She figures this is a time to speak truth in love—in kindness—and not to be afraid of the consequences.   “Thanks for that, John. I don’t think of myself as religious so much as I’m just a Christ-follower, and I really try to do what Jesus w