Digging Graves

Situation:  Rayette was a middle-aged professional woman, married, with grown children, but apparently very, very unhappy.  All the time she tried to get all of her other co-workers in trouble with the bosses.  Rayette really was the fastest of all the workers, knew the job better than anyone, and took pride in doing more than everyone. In spite of her competence, she was what they call, "The rotten apple in the barrel."

Rayette personally was responsible for many people, both male and female, quitting her work group.  There was no one who was up to her standards.  After several years, people who heard of her would not even apply to work with her.  She called nearly everyone, "lazy!"  

Folks noticed that after Rayette finished her own work, she wouldn't help anyone else, she would go play on the computer.  She would look for new clothes, new shoes, play games, pay her bills, balance her checkbook. Everyone tolerated her but really 'looked over their backs' while they were working with her.  They felt she was looking for an excuse to report them to the boss and get them fired.

Over the years, several of her co-workers talked to various bosses about how terrible she treated some of their customers and how nasty she talked and acted toward them.  Some of the customers complained about her.  But still she worked on.  Nothing changed.  She acted like she was beyond reproach.

One day one of her co-workers found her asleep on the job, creating an extremely dangerous situation at work.  After the situation was immediately corrected, Rayette was again reported to the boss.  Rayette was furious:  "Why didn't you wake me up and tell me?  I would have taken care of it.  Nobody should report a co-worker!"

Lessons learned:  My dear grandmother, Marie, must have told me hundreds of times, "Dig a grave for some else and you'll fall in it yourself!"  Trying to get people in trouble is no way to make friends!  No one will trust you then!  We need to help out whoever we can, behave courteously to everyone.  I agree that the dangerous situation must be reported.  But the day-to-day picking was not the right thing to do.

Outcome:  No one knew what happened, but after a couple of months, Rayette was no longer working at the same place.  We sort of lost track of her.  I haven't heard of anyone who has talked with her.

Lord, sometimes it is very hard to co-exist with others.  We all do things differently.  Help us to figure out our strengths and our weaknesses and work together in our families and churches and at work.  We know you love us; help us pass on that love!