Inspirational thoughts and random writings from the alumni and friends of Quad-Cities Christian Writers Conference.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Go Undercover

By Lori Boruff


    Undercover Boss is a favorite Sunday night program. A recent show inspired this little blog adventure.

    Featured boss of BELFOR, the world's largest disaster restoration company, was emotionally moved by four employees during his week undercover. According to the story, boss Sheldon Yellen and his three brothers were raised by a mother on welfare. His father was in and out of the home. Mother was the glue keeping her boys together.

    Yellen rose from rags to riches becoming President and CEO of BELFOR. He trades in his Italian suit for a uniform and begins working with the common man.
    He encounters:

  • A contractor whose business suffered from tough economic times. He now works several jobs to recover his losses.
  • Brenda, who shares being raised with nothing while living in a railroad car. She struggles to advance in the company because she cannot read.
  • Another young man with his master’s degree in marketing cannot find work and takes this job to pay off student debt.
  • Jen, who also struggles to make ends meet even before BELFOR carried out a wage freeze.

    After a life-changing week undercover and through humble tears, Yellen offers those dedicated employees promotions, vacations and financial rewards to ease their hardships. I cried through most of the program.

    But what really moved those workers to tears? They knew someone noticed. They felt significant.

    "That never happened before," expressed a grateful employee.

   Who in your world needs to be noticed? Who has never felt significant in their life? Who needs to know someone cares?

    Will you let God go undercover through you? Will you see the worn out waitress, cashier, delivery person or overwhelmed mom who longs to be noticed?

    By a simple act of kindness, conversation, time or finances – who will come to know that God Sees?

But from heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind;
from His dwelling place He watches all mankind.
 But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear Him,
on those whose hope is in His unfailing love.
 Psalm 33:13-14, 18-19 (NRSV)


It's how you treat a stranger that draws God's notice and his blessing.

Be Blessed,
Lori Boruff
309-582-7685

3 comments:

  1. I love this show, too, Lori, although it almost always makes me cry. Thanks for the insightful reminder about WHO our undercover boss really is.

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  2. Thanks Lori, I have cried many times in watching this show. And yes, I need to allow God to use me to bring kindness to each person who enters my life. Jeannette

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  3. Very good piece, Lori. Very convicting!

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