NSD: Hong Kong
We pursue different things in life, career, family, money, etc., and each has varied priorities. What’s your priority? We must put ‘God First’! I am grateful for what I experienced in 2019.
Working in the social welfare sector is not that easy to keep the Sabbath, and given the fact that most of the senior community centers require a six-day workweek. As a social worker, it was almost impossible to find a job that allowed me to keep the Sabbath. Nevertheless, I took the courage to request for Sabbaths off during interviews. Some employers responded with sarcasm, while some offered a higher salary as a lure to work on Saturday. However, as I put “God First”, it was not too difficult for me to opt. I trust what God has prepared for me is still yet to come. After waiting for a month, I finally got a job in which I can keep the Sabbath.
My new job was excellent with friendly colleagues, a responsible workload, a good salary, and a promising career path. The problem was that I had to lead a team performance on Saturdays, and I was not informed about that at the time of the interview. During the three or four negotiations with the senior staff, I insisted not to work on Sabbaths as I chose to put “God First.” It says in the Bible, “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). Keeping this in mind, I started to look for another job.
As a rule of thumb, I should not have quit at that time. I had been unemployed for quite a while and barely had any savings. What’s worse, I had to move to a new house at that time. If I had stayed with that job, it seems I would have been better off. However, I did not struggle much as I decided to put “God First” no matter what. If that were God’s will, He would surely open a way!
