He became angry; it shocked me

When my wife and I left Japan for the last time in the spring of 2000, we were looking ahead to a move (home for me) to Maine in early May, where I was scheduled to take up the responsibility of headmaster of a preK-8th grade Christian school that my parents had helped start, and that I had attended for middle school. My degree in education was for teaching high school history, but given my knowledge of the school’s raison d’etre and mission, the board of directors had decided that I would be a good fit for the job of administrator. It was intended to be a mutual growing experience, and we were excited at the prospect.

Before taking up the new position, however, we decided to make a trip to visit some of the churches that had supported us on the mission field and give reports to them of the work of the denominational mission group. We also designed the excursion to take us to see various friends in the vicinities of our destinations. I was eager to visit my alma mater, Covenant College, and when we got there, I especially wanted to talk to Dr. Donovan Graham, one of my education professors. I couldn’t wait to tell him about my new job!

As Dr. Graham’s student several years earlier, I had spoken of this little school, and its vital role in my life. I told him how my mother had taught there, laboring even right up till she was hospitalized a few months before succumbing to cancer. How beloved she was in the school family and that my sister was on the board of directors, and that I was so eager to begin working there if ever given the chance. When I finally tracked him down that spring day in 2000, his reaction was not what I expected.

“What kind of salary are they offering you?” When I told him, he said, “And the two of you can live off that?” My wife and I looked at each other. We believed it was enough.

“What kind of benefits package comes with it?” he demanded.

“Benefits?” I replied. “Uh..”

Dr. Graham became angry. “Don’t take the job! Tell them they must give you health insurance or no deal!”

I’d never heard him so angry in my life, and I was shocked. “They, uh, they said they’d work on offering that..” I didn’t get to finish.

He waved his hand, as if to dismiss me. “They’ll never do it! They’ll want to, Bill, but they’ll never get around to it. You must make it a priority now, or they never will. I’m sorry, but I cannot be happy for you if you take this job as it is presently offered to you.”

In God’s kind providence, we made it through ten years at that school, and I have been at another employer for ten years since then, one with full medical benefits, a retirement pension, vision, dental, and life insurance. That medical benefit came in very handy in 2019 when my wife suffered a debilitating illness. We experienced a significant loss of income, but small medical bills. Had I still been working at the Christian school, it would have bankrupted us. It made me understand Dr. Graham’s anger from nearly 20 years before.

He was right, of course. The Christian school never did offer health insurance when I worked there. They helped pay a few bills for doctor visits, but it was no replacement for insurance. That, combined with the stress I experienced in the workplace, left me with clinical depression and anxiety, which were diagnosed four years after I left employment with them, but the symptoms of which were clearly evident while their employee. Successful treatment could have significantly impacted my job performance much sooner, but without health insurance, I had no way to pay to find out.

Mercifully, I got help. Mercifully, I moved on to a job that is a better fit for my skills, values, and abilities. Mercifully, Dr. Graham forgave me for choosing the work I did, because he was, ultimately, proud of what this student of his was able to accomplish in the lives of others, and I honor him for what he taught me. To God be the glory. I think Dr. Graham would agree with me on that.