Devotional – 45 ‘Mar’yam meets Rex’
It was February; there was a new employee working for Ben Levi. She was slender and of medium height; her hair was dark brown but looked almost black. She didn’t appear to smile very often but when Ben spoke to her on occasion’s people could see she did have a beautiful aurora to her face. It was almost like the sunrise on a cloudless morning.
Ben had given her the office next to his; it had been vacant for more than two years; most had expected him to give it to his son at that time but Rex had been given an office in the rear. It was near the Logistics ramp; when he was put in-charge of the main operations of the business, which was production and shipping. Ten years earlier Rex had worked in the business office; he had spent two additional years working in the Sales group prior to the job as head of operations.
Ben had tried to groom Rex for his job but until Rex’s wife had died he was not what Ben considered a serious person; fun was his life goal. Being a single parent with a daughter was a wake-up call for him; something happened and his mind finally matured.
***
Rex would be coming in later; he was at Naomi’s school talking with her theater teacher about the upcoming play that would be presented to the public. Rex didn’t like the gown that she was given to wear; it was to sheer and revealing in his mind. “She was fourteen, not twenty-one”, he commented to the teacher as he sat across from her. He told the teacher his thoughts about the world view and his view as a Jew who wanted his daughter looking modest. 1 Timothy 2:9. The young teacher told Rex that she had a more liberal view and that she called the shots concerning the costumes worn for the ‘school-play’.
***
There was a note from his dad on his desk as Rex returned. He was a little upset from the recent visit to Naomi’s school so he took a seat in his office and took several deep breathes. He wanted to be composed when he went to see what his dad needed.
As he approached the large office that his dad used, he saw a light on the office next to it. “What was up with the door opened and a light on,” he wondered? “The door had not been opened for close to two years; was his dad grooming someone to take over when he finally retired? Deep down he had hoped his dad might consider him to be his replacement.” Rex took a short breathe through his partially open mouth and proceeded to his dads open door.
There was a woman talking to his dad as he started to knock. He always knocked; it was his habit before he entered; it was something he had learned years earlier. Rex stood for a moment; Ben saw him and motioned him in. The lady turned slightly and Rex recognized her immediately; he would recognize her beautiful face anywhere. Several years ago she was his sisters best friend; she was also the girl he had dreamed of being married too when he grew up. She had vanished and as he remembered; no one knew where. Ben commented, “Do you remember Mar’yam? I have employed her as my personal executive business office manager. I won’t be supervising the pool of administrators as I have choose to do in the past but they will all keep their jobs; they will be reporting directly to her.”
“Rex was more handsome now than when they were teenagers,” Mar’yam was thinking. Rex was thinking, “What a beautiful woman she is. Where has she been? How did she get here?”
It was quiet; it seemed like Rex couldn’t come up with something to say. Mar’yam finally commented, “I hear you have a daughter; how old is she now, Rex?” Rex was surprised to hear that she knew about Naomi. “I didn’t know you knew about her but she is fourteen; I am just getting back from seeing her theater teacher at school.” Ben asked, “What happened?” Rex told them the deal with the skimpy gown; they talked a few minutes and Mar’yam volunteered to help find a gown that Rex would like. She told him she would talk to him later; then left.
Ben closed his door and handed Rex a blank tablet; then told him to jot down a couple of things to think about. Ben commented, “My last day of work is June the fifteenth. I am taking vacation the rest of the year; the first thirty days will be in Israel so I’m putting you in charge while I am gone.” He paused a few seconds in thought and then continued, “If you have any ideas about making major changes; cover them with me prior to my vacation.” Rex started to leave the office but Ben commented, “One thing that you may be puzzled about is; why is Mar’yam working here after all this time? I’ll tell you some day.” He told Rex to meet in his office at seven-thirty, each morning over the next three months for short briefings.
***
Mar’yam was in her office wondering how Ben and Rex were doing as they were discussing the future of the business. Starting the next morning she had been told to meet in Ben’s office at seven-thirty for reviewing and defining roles for the short term business plan.
***
Ben was walking with Mar’yam giving her a tour of the production area; explaining a few of the processes. Next he toured the Logistics area and showed her the docks where shipping and receiving took place. The last place he wanted to tour was the administrative area. There were over a dozen people who performed the transactions needed for shipping, receiving, and billing. This was the area Ben would have Mar’yam learn over the next three months. This had been his ‘baby’, so-to-speak.
Rex was called to check on a busted pallet of incoming merchandise when he overheard two of the shippers talking. Rusty, one of the younger employees made a comment, “Did you see that hottie walking with the boss? I’d like to tango with her around the dance floor; how about you, Sid?” Matthew 5:28. Rex took three giant strides toward Rusty; he snapped his finger; then pointed it at him, “Rusty that lady is a friend of mine. Don’t you or anyone else in this building talk derogatory about her or you won’t be employed here any longer.” Rusty looked for a moment; he nodded and gave the thumbs up to Rex, then spoke, “It won’t happen again boss.” Rex took a deep breath and thought, “yes she is a desirable and beautiful woman.”
Scripture reference
1 Timothy 2:9, Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly…. [Apostle Paul’s instruction about the dress of a woman. Why? So men don’t lust after them]
Matthew 5:28, but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. [Should you poke your eye out as scripture implies? _ What then?]
DG