Why are You Acting Like an Orphan?

I was in my early 20s when I had landed my first corporate job at the infamous Commercial Financial Services in Tulsa.  Yes, this is the company of the millionaire Bill Bartmann that quickly came falling to the ground once Wall Street learned of some lies and I along with 3500 other people lost their jobs overnight.  I had just started climbing that corporate ladder and feeling like I had finally become an independent mature man.  Upon reading the company email that said we literally had 2 hours to pack up our belongings and leave the CityPlex Towers unemployed, my heart sank as dread, worthlessness, despair came crashing in.

I had bills.  I had dreams.  I had goals.  Now they were gone… destroyed.  I was saddened beyond words and yet extremely angry.  I thought that I could find my place in corporate America like my father who worked for an amazing company (T.D. Williamson Pipeline) for 35 years and grow my future from it.  I mean this job had it all.  Great salary, great co-workers, great bonuses, 2 week vacations, no glass ceiling.  We hit financial goals every month.  Heck, we even had an all expense paid trip to Disney World for 5 days for all 3500 of us and our spouses.  We had just celebrated hitting goals with a party and less than 1 week later, the company was gone.

I went home, which was still my parents’ home at this time.  I dreaded Dad coming home and seeing my there before him.  I knew I would have to tell him.  When 5:30 came around and that front door opened, Dad came into the living room and first kissed mom like always.  He then smiled at me and asked if I took the day off or something.  I told him all about CFS collapsing.  I broke out into a frenzy of how my dreams were lost.  “What am I going to do?” I cried.  I won’t be able to afford my car.  I will lose all my savings.  There are not a lot of jobs out there you know.  And even if there was, now I will be competeing with 3500 others trying to get a job to support their families….and dreams.

I was young.  I knew I had a lot of disadvantages compared to the caliber of people I worked with that had a lot more experience and contacts to get the best jobs available.  My father just listened to me rail on my former boss and how horrible he was for lying and putting all of us at risk.  How I just knew that I would end up having to take a job that pays less and does not make me happy like this one did.  ” I just know that I will be miserable doing something I dread.”

Dad just nodded his head as he listened to my tirade of fear and anger.  Once I ran out of breath and my eyes started to fill with tears, Dad padded my leg and frowned.  One of the many things that Dad was… was a great listener and sympathizer.  “Son, I am so sorry to hear about the company and your job.  There is no doubt that all your co-workers are feeling much the same way.  Confused, angry, lost, desperate.”

After a few moments of silence, Dad said that it will be okay.  I immediately revved my engines back up and started right back into my fears.  Dad interrupted me, ” Son…Matt… why are you acting like an orphan?”.  I stopped and just stared at him.  Honestly at first, it pissed me off.  But of course my offense was shredded as he continued.

“Son, you know that your mother and I are here for you.  You will not be without.  You will be feed and have a roof over your head.  Stop acting like an orphan, Matt.  We love you and are here for you.  You will be fine as you search for a new job.  I have no doubt that you will find another great job that you like and will thrive in.”  His words were soothing and comforting.  I was still scared and Dad could tell.  “Son, do you not believe that God will take care of you?  Do you not believe that He wants the very best for you…even more than your mother and I do?  Have you forgotten that God knows all, sees all and He knew that this day would come?  Son, you must stop acting like an orphan.  You are a son of God.  The Father above has it all under control.  In fact, all this will someday make sense to us…but He already knows.”

I was reeling from this when I said, “Dad, I know I know.  But really.  Does this really matter to God at all?  Little peon me and my job.”  Dad enthusiastically shot back, ” Son, of course it does.  He cares about everything about Matt Dickerson.  He knows the number hairs on head.  His desire is for you to have the best.  The Father loves you so much.  His heart is broken for you too.  But He knows that He will keep you safe and He will open doors for you.”

YOU ARE NOT AN ORPHAN.  YOU ARE A SON/DAUGHTER OF THE MOST HIGH GOD THAT LOVES YOU GREATLY.  NO MATTER WHAT YOU HAVE DONE…YOU CANNOT BE SEPERATED FROM HIS AMAZING LOVE.  LET’S STOP LIVING LIKE WE DO NOT HAVE A FATHER.  LET’S STOP HURTING EACH OTHER AND THOSE CLOSEST TO US TO WIN THE FATHER’S LOVE.  WE ALREADY HAVE IT.