“You shouldn’t have done this…”

Not a week goes by that we don’t read or hear something about a company that broke the law, skirted regulations or blatantly ignored ethical warnings and advice.  Companies and people associated with those companies have their reputations destroyed and many end up never digging out.  What is so disheartening is that some of these disasters were avoidable but because someone (and it always boils down to one person who either says to others or themselves, “yes, do it” or looks the other way, which is the same as saying “yes”) makes a poor judgment decision.  We only see the headlines but beyond the glaring big company scandals there are many examples of problems in all size businesses.  I am troubled by the continued lack of respect for the law and ethical decay that we see in corporate America.  Maybe we could never count on companies to be honest but I want to believe that there was a time that we wouldn’t be drawn through the muck like we are today. Wal~mart is right in the middle of one of these.  The company that once stood for so much that was good about corporate America and was a shining example of corporate conduct now finds lots of people inside and outside of the company saying, “You shouldn’t have”.

The book of Obadiah in Chapter 1, verses 12-14 starts every sentence with “You shouldn’t have”. These two long verses are worth reading to hear what was being said against the actions of those from the land of Edom.  What is amazing about the words “You shouldn’t have” is that many times when we hear them said to us that whatever comes behind them is hard to refute.  By the time we get to the point we have these words said to us, we are likely in the wrong or have made a mistake for which, we should be ready to apologize.  As we work so hard to bring glory to God as our purpose, let’s not let ourselves get put in any situation where when we fast forward we can see someone else delivering those three fateful words to us.  If we instead say to ourselves first, “I shouldn’t” and we listen to our own voice (which is probably also God talking to us too) then we can alleviate ever being in the uncomfortable hot seat that we shouldn’t be in.

Reference: Obadiah 1:12-14 (New Living Translation)