Is There Such a Thing as Business Grace?

Late this afternoon I had the chance to meet with the owner of MTI/Adams Engineering, Dan Adams and its human resource director, Laura Yak. Last September I talked about how their company was creating opportunities to hire men and women from the Monroe Circle neighborhood. They wanted to actively engage in helping break the cycle of generational poverty but not only creating a job but a career opportunity.

For six months everything seemed to be going along extremely well. Martin was not only loving the chance to learn but earn a good and steady income along with great benefits. The company was making an impact and changing the direct of someone's life and the legacy of his family. Then I received a phone call from Dan Adams on Wednesday afternoon. He shared the Martin had simply walked into the HR office, handed in his identification badge and walked out.

Six months of employment - out the door!

Time spent restructuring of one of MTI's departments - wasted!!

Two years of mentoring, learning, STARs program and training - spent!!!

Sharing the success story - was it no longer true?

Dan was great. He shared he was going to spend the next day digging into what exactly happened and I told Dan I would try to track down Martin and hear his side of the story. Truthfully, I hung up the phone with a splitting headache and telling myself this is hard, really, really hard - is this really worth the effort?

This afternoon I sat in an office with Dan, Laura and Martin and witnessed grace, kindness and compassion that would rival any church service on Sunday morning. In this economy, they could have had 25 resumes to choose from from people that would take this job - they held it for Martin. The way Martin left - the vast majority of companies would have simply said I what I said and move on - they told Martin they wanted him back, they believed in him, they were not going to let him fail. There were some expectations that needed to be met but Monday morning he was to report back to work.

As I walked out to my car, I could only smile and think Dan Adam's and his company have a kingdom of God mindset because without it Martin would not have had a job, I would have been very sad and the community would have been worse off. But God's plan looks so much more appealing.

Thanks Dan, you taught a church guy something today about grace and forgiveness!