Latest / Prayer Before Work / I Reported a Theft, HR Blamed Me Instead - Prayer Before Work
Transcript
- Sean Graver: Well here's another listener story about someone who stole cash out of her purse at work. And she did exactly what you're supposed to do. She reported it to HR and and somehow she walked out of that meeting being told that she should have secured her things better. Well, hey, this is Sean, and welcome back to Prayer Before Work. Now this is a really frustrating scenario, isn't it? I mean, you weren't the one who did anything wrong. Someone else made a choice to take something that wasn't theirs. And instead of that being the focus, the conversation somehow shifted onto you and what you could have done differently. Now, maybe nothing even happens to the person who actually took it. Maybe the whole thing just gets dismissed with a shrug, and you're the one left holding the bad feeling and a sense that you're somehow partly at fault, and you're still out the money that was taken. Well, the writer of Ecclesiastes was clearly familiar with. This exact type of feeling, watching wrongs get minimized or explained away by people who are supposed to make it right. Because in Ecclesiastes 5 8, he writes, If you see in a province the oppression of the poor and the violation of justice and righteousness, do not be amazed at the matter. Well, isn't that comforting? Maybe in a strange way. He's not saying that injustice is okay. But he is saying to not be shocked when it happens. Because systems made up of people are gonna fail sometimes. And and layers of bureaucracy often protect themselves before they protect the person who was actually wronged. Now, knowing that ahead of time doesn't make it hurt less, but it can keep you from concluding that something is uniquely wrong with you because the system didn't do its job. Here's what's actually within your control. You can document everything in writing with dates and names in case this comes up again or happens to someone else. You can decide in a calm manner whether this is worth escalating past the person who dismissed you to someone with more authority. And you can refuse to accept the story that you did something wrong just because someone else said it to you. I mean, being the victim of a theft doesn't make you responsible for it. No matter how someone tries to twist the details. You don't have to carry any guilt for this. And don't be amazed at this matter. So let's pray. Lord, it's it's sometimes it's disorienting to be wronged and then made to be like feel that we're at fault for it. But give us the clarity to see that and reframe it for what it is. And and the strength not to internalize any blame that this that isn't ours. Where there's real injustice here, help help us pursue whatever's actually within our power to pursue and and give us peace where we truly can't change the outcome. And remind us that you see exactly what happened, even when the people responsible for justice didn't get it right. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. go make today count.