Love and dismissal

Morning by morning I will destroy all the wicked in the land,
cutting off all the evildoers from the city of the Lord. (Psalm 101:8)

Just because we want to promote the good, there will be moments that we need to say goodbye to those who do not want to conform to the values as formulated. A little sourdough makes the entire dough sour (Galatians 5:9). Love for the group, the company, and the individual forces us into action.

Marieke is a departmental leader over 20 people. She is a Christian and holds high the value of love. In her department there is this girl, Corrie, who does not seem to take her work seriously. She regularly comes in late, stops working too early, and is on her mobile as soon as she has a free moment. She is confused about the love within the company, and interprets it as, ‘I am free to do anything, because they love me’. Marieke interprets love as a movement that desires growth for the other person, growth in character and in personality; a movement that wants to see the other person grow into adulthood and see her flourish. She realizes that if this girl wants to grow into an adult personality with real character, she is not helped by a soft and understanding treatment. Marieke has to teach her and show her there is a limit to what she can do. After repeated conversations, adjustments, and advice, the moment arrives that they need to say goodbye, for Corrie refuses to be directed. When they conduct their final conversation, Corrie is furious. She says, "If you are a Christian, I’m never gonna be one! What a <*expletive*> you are!" This remark hurts Marieke to the depths of her soul. She feels as if she has failed, nonetheless she knows she is right.

It is in the interest of the formation of a person that this person experiences the consequences of their actions. This makes them adults and responsible people. Love that sees no other way, hopes that the dismissal is a healing act, leading to self-reflection about the person’s own performance.

Question for the day
How do you help people grow in their personality and character?