My wife occasionally accuses me of being bossy, but this past week I really was.

My boss took the week off to go to Disneyland with her family. Being the lead engineer in our group, and being the most difficult TO manage, I was appointed virtual manager in her place. That means in addition to doing all my normal work I got to go to her meetings, chime in with status (usually about myself), write reports, etc.

Some people dream of being the boss, and can't wait to "set the world right" by making decisions they always wanted. Sort of like if we had upside down day at home, where the kids got to choose what we did, what we will be eating for supper, etc. No broccoli, instead jelly beans and pizza, with a salad of ice cream. You know what I mean. I don't dream of being the boss, because I could have been the boss many, many times. I have been asked to become a manager at least a half a dozen times over the years and every time I turn it down. I mean, someone has to actually get the work done. They have "working managers" but they never seem to do well at either working or managing. I have "career limited" myself by refusing to be promoted in this way.

Anyhow, so I got to be the boss. I kept my head down, passed the time, made decisions when I had to, and pretty much "followed the script" that my boss laid out for me. I didn't go out on a limb and do strange or new things, that my boss would have to undo when she got back. I didn't speculate about deadlines, or anything for that matter. Speculation too often becomes considered promises of deliverables, and I wasn't going to fall for that. I had no problem telling people who wanted me to commit to things that no, I would not make such deals and if they wanted to take it up with my boss when she got back that was fine by me.

In other words, my role was really more of holding to the will of my boss, getting my work done, and delivering products on time. I know that doesn't sound like what a Hollywood movie script would make it out to be but work is work. It isn't playtime.

In a very true sense, Christianity is much like that. We have been given responsibilities by our creator, and very straightforward guidelines. The desire of God is not hard to figure out and the way to accomplish it even a fool can understand according to scripture. So what happens there?

Well, some people just can't handle it. They want to change things all around "for the better" by adding emotional or "helpful" improvements, like piano music or things that play on our feelings apart from the worship of God. They may decide to make needless changes for the sake of change, or enforce traditions where none needs to be. They want less talk of hell and more sermons on love and acceptance. Instead of "following the script", they may opt for a business like no-nonsense efficient approach that fills the building with feel good followers, as if sheer numbers is the measure of success.

In other words, they see their role not to holding to the will of God and getting the work done laid out for them but instead inventing new work and following a will of their own. They usurp God's desires, and the bible describes them as practicing lawlessness. Part of an old saying I heard once was "When it comes to God, good intentions are not good."

Even when we think there is a better way , we need to remember that God is our boss, we work for him, and we need to do things his way. In the end we will discover his ways were the best all along. In fact we need to not be afraid to tell those who would question us that we don't compromise on the truth and if they don't like it to take it up with our boss when he gets back. It may not sound like what a Hollywood movie script would have us be doing, where everyone smiles and accepts everyone else, but not all paths lead to a happy ending. Work, even spiritual work, is work. It isn't playtime.

Randy