By Xiaoye

Recently, I had been looking for a part-time job. And I happened to see a want ad on the Internet and thought the conditions were very good such as what the job entailed, the salary and other aspects. Then I contacted the manager of the company and made an appointment to have an interview the next day at the company.

The next day when I got there, I saw a lady in her 40s also come to apply for this job, who looked more mature and steady than me. I thought the manager would very likely hire her instead of me, so I couldn’t help feeling a little worried. Later, the manager called us into his office and said: “There is a web page on the computer screen. Who can print out the information on it will be employed.” Having said this, he left the office. Looking at the web page, I felt very nervous and thought: “I can only do simple things like dealing with forms or documents and don’t know how to print files. By comparison, isn’t it obvious that I will lose?” As expected, the lady printed out the web page at last.

Before too long, the manager walked into the office. He didn’t ask who had printed the material when seeing it, but began to talk about the salary. That lady said she expected a salary of 1,500 yuan per month and the manager said: “This is just a part-time job. You’re asking too much.” But that lady took an unyielding attitude without any wiggle room, so the manager asked her to go back and wait for news.

After she left, the manager didn’t mention the matter of salary but asked me whether the material had been printed by me. I thought: “The manager didn’t ask me in front of the lady, it looks like that since entering the office, he has thought it’s me who has printed it and now he just wants to confirm this. Should I say that I have done that or speak honestly? If I say I’ve done that, then this job will be in the bag; if I tell the truth, then it certainly won’t belong to me. In my internal struggle, the Lord’s words came to mind: “But let your communication be, Yes, yes; No, no: for whatever is more than these comes of evil” (Matthew 5:37). The Lord’s words state very clearly. If it is so, say it is so; If it isn’t so, say it isn’t so. I thought, “If I tell lies to get the job, then am I not engaging in deception and cheating? Even if I use lies to cheat the manager’s trust and “win” this job, I won’t feel proud of it. I am a Christian; being honest and speaking the truth is the Lord’s requirement of us Christians. I cannot betray the principle of a human being to protect my own benefit, much less can I shame the Lord by doing so. I must be an honest person and live out the likeness of a Christian to glorify and bear witness to the Lord.” So I quietly set my resolve: No matter what the result, I’m willing to tell the truth and be an honest person.

Then I replied to the manager straightforwardly: “No, it’s not me who has printed it. It’s that lady.” The manager looked at me in amazement and sighed: “You’re so honest and I’m happy to have you work here. These days there are not many young people like you. When you two entered just now, I favored you the moment I saw you. It seems that I’m right about you.” This came as a surprise to me—I had never thought that I would get the part-time job after telling the truth frankly. Later, the manager acquainted me with the workflow, and told me to practice more at home and begin to work two days later.

I was excited and thanked the Lord in my heart. Speaking honestly didn’t cause me to lose the job but helped me get it. More importantly, it made me gain spiritual peace and stability, and others’ trust. Thank the Lord that He guided me, allowing me to experience the joy of being an honest person!