I participated in the termination of an employee on a handful of occasions. In other words, we fired some folks over the years. I work for a campus ministry where we never have enough people, so firing one is our last choice. A number of reviews and hard conversations precede the final cut. I’ve noticed this proverb play out each time:
Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.
The employees who received pink slips ignored multiple warnings about their behavior at work, and they expressed shock and anger at what they perceived as a rash decision. They never saw it coming, although everyone around them saw it quite clearly.
I hated each situation, as necessary as each proved. I’ll admit that most dismissals brought relief—to those of us left, not necessarily to the dismissed.
After few of these I started to observe a pattern. The stiff-necked—those who blocked feedback, who shrugged off evaluations, who bristled at criticism—left their leaders with no other recourse than to let them go. Game over.
I’ve seen this behavior enough to know I’d better listen to thoughts expressed on my reviews. If someone’s taken the time to write it, or even tell me personally, then I should pay attention. No one benefits from my stiff-neck, especially not me.
Proverbs 29:1 in reading the Bible cover to cover in 2022
Photo by Sigmund
Dave, I appreciate you highlighting this proverb. Stiff-necked – it is so destructive to have a stiff-necked coworker or to be stiff-necked. I currently have a nice failure resume going – helps me make sure I am learning from my mistakes and weaknesses and not being stiff-necked. If we can keep a posture of life-long learners, I think it keeps us pliable and humble.
So true, thanks Becky.
Hi Dave, I’m a friend of Glenn Larson and for several years in my Cru career I, too, had to lead (?) stiff-necked staff, though very few. More recently I was on the staff of a church and worked alongside that sort of person. No amount of counseling/mentoring of this woman moved her an inch towards being cooperative. In the end, after I no longer worked there, she was let go after 18 months of warnings, performance evaluations, etc. It’s no surprise she blamed the elders and pastor for her 4 week notice. It just had to be HER WAY and those who disagreed were vilified by her. She had a very stiff neck. Thanks for reminding me of God’s word on this subject.
Thank you Pam, for your comment. Unfortunately we encounter stiff-necked folks everywhere, which is way I suppose Solomon’s words remain so up to date!