waiting for harvest

 

“As for these that you see, the days will come when not one stone will be left upon the other; all will be thrown down.”

— Luke 21:6

REBUILDING THE STONES OF LIFE

Jimmy Carter, our former president, in the late seventies, left office defeated by Ronald Reagan. Upon leaving, he went home and slept for twenty-four straight hours, exhausted from his four years as president. He had endured chronic shortages of gasoline, uncontrollable inflation and interest rates, and the healing of the nation from the Watergate scandal. His last year was mired in the tragedy of hostages held in Iran against their will. In spite of all his efforts, they were not released until after he left office. What had promised to be a presidency of change and national renewal ended with failure. 

“In 2002, Jimmy Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his decades of untiring efforts to find solutions to international conflicts.”

Jimmy Carter, a soft-spoken Christian, was well known for his honesty and ability to find difficult solutions to most problems. Jimmy Carter turned his life to helping other nations and the poor of our country. Future presidents would use him to help with difficult negotiations in foreign affairs. He became a driving force in Habitat for Humanity. Using the Carter Center as his platform, he got involved in numerous humanitarian efforts. He became one of America’s most successful former presidents. In 2002, Jimmy Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his decades of untiring efforts to find solutions to international conflicts. 

“Our most important assets are our God-given abilities, our experience, and our faith.”

Jesus points out that change is inevitable. Very seldom do we stay in the same place. Many times change strips us of who we were; it bares us to a life of uncertainty. We are left without a past we can count on. At this crossroads we have to decide to try another way. Go in another direction. Our most important assets are our God-given abilities, our experience and our faith. From here we can either try to regain the past or move forward to a new life. The stones of the past have been thrown down. Our lives are begun anew. 

“With God in our lives, our future lies in front of us and our past becomes a forgotten road.”

Jimmy Carter always dreamed about being a great president, but ended up humiliated and beaten when he left office. With the encouragement of his wife, Rosalynn, and his deeply rooted faith, he struck out again to try another way. His new way worked. Many times we have to try a new way. Our lives that seem permanent are not. Many times God puts us at these crossroads. It is here that we have to try a different path, ignoring the bad from the past and remembering our gifts. With God in our lives, our future lies in front of us and our past becomes a forgotten road.

The stones of our life become rebuilt.

 

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

 

PARTING THOUGHTS

How permanent is today?

How do we and can we change?

What qualities, given to us by God, help in this transition?

 

walking reflection

 

“God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.”

— John [4:24]

WHICH WAY DOES OUR MIRROR POINT?

One of my clients was debating about starting a partnership and was seeking an opinion. From hearing about his potential partner from my client, I told him I believed it would be a fruitful relationship. The potential partner was smart, had good experience, and would help with the initial required working capital. However, while these are great starting points, they are not the final answer. The answer lies in which way his mirror points. In other words, when you engage in a conversation, does what you say come right back to you or are your partner’s responses thought through? Will differences of opinion with this partner end up right back in your lap? Does the other person take a shared accountability for the relationship or just turn the mirror back? 

“Everything always starts out well in partnerships, but the inevitable disagreements will arise. It is this part of the partnership that determines success.”

All partnerships will have disagreements. Marriages, friendships, and business arrangements are all partnerships. Everything always starts out well in partnerships, but the inevitable disagreements will arise. It is this part of the partnership that determines success. When we have a partner who takes our input, reflects on our point of view, and responds with logical conclusions, we feel that we have a voice, even if our partner doesn’t agree with everything we say. But when our concerns are just pointed back to us, we don’t feel like we have a voice. We ask for a conversation and we get back criticism. The conversation has generally ended at the point that the mirror is turned back. The conversation becomes one of deflection, not resolution. When this happens, the truth gets buried and the trust bank gets a withdrawal. 

“When we communicate with God in the back of our minds, it is easy to be truthful.”

Jesus points this out in the Book of John. If we want to have truth in our relationships, it must come from a spirit of being truthful. When we communicate with God in the back of our minds, it is easy to be truthful. This strengthens our partnerships. Our mirror is then always pointed to ourselves. When we deflect difficult conversations back to the other person, we aren’t searching for the truth, we are searching for our way.

As my client and I discussed his potential partner’s mirroring ability, he came to the conclusion that his partner had his mirror pointed the right way. In their past, conversations had been mutual. Disagreements were resolved without getting personal. They focused on the issue and not the person. There was an interchange searching for the truth. His partner usually responded by first telling my client what he agreed with and then where he was concerned. In turn he would ask my client for his thoughts. This process would go back and forth until they reached an agreement. Both parties had a spirit of searching for the truth. Neither had a mirror of deflection.

“Any work that is meant to help others and gives glory to God has sacred value.”

Hard work is important. It is better than plans that are left undone. But hard work whose purpose is to help someone else is more meaningful. It makes our businesses stronger. Our customers will notice this subtle difference. The attitude seeps into our work and becomes the light of that work. Hard work that is done with thought of giving glory to God inspires us to not miss any detail. It makes our work more sacred. It makes us try harder. We are doing our work  in a holy manner. Any work that is meant to help others and through our efforts give glory to God has sacred value. Like John’s samples, it serves to inspire.

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

 

PARTING THOUGHTS

Who do we work for?

Do we work harder when our work is for someone else and for God? 

 

 

“But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.”

— Luke [15:32]

 

A REMARKABLE STORY OF A RETURN TO HIS FAITH, BY A CONVICTED FELON

Mike Anderson went into a Burger King with a gun and robbed the fast-food restaurant. He was arrested, and at his court hearing he was sentenced to thirteen years in jail. The judge allowed him to be released on bail, and he was told he would be notified when to show up to serve his sentence. However, a clerical error resulted in Mike never receiving a date. He did not return to a life of crime. Instead he returned to a life of faith. He started his own construction business. He volunteered at church and with youth football. He got married and had three children. He was well liked in his community. 

“Within ten minutes, the judge granted Mike credit for the time he should have been in prison. Mike walked out of court with his wife and daughter a free man.”

Thirteen years later the clerical error was discovered and Mike was sent to prison to serve his time. His story received national and international coverage. People created a petition and garnered thirty-five thousand names. Within a year, Mike was standing before a judge at a court hearing to discuss his release. Within ten minutes, the judge granted Mike credit for the time he should have been in prison. Mike walked out of court with his wife and daughters a free man. 

“Jesus tells the story of the Prodigal Son as an example of redemption, forgiveness and a return to a life of faith.”

Today’s verse is from the famous story of the Prodigal Son. Jesus tells the story of the Prodigal Son as an example of redemption, forgiveness and a return to a life of faith. It is a story of a young man who squanders his wealth and lives an improper life. Like Mike Anderson he was on the wrong path. The Prodigal Son, like Mike, realizes he was lost. In seeking a change, the son returns to his father and confesses that he was headed down the wrong path. The father joyfully welcomes his son back. 

“Without forgiveness, their turning towards a faithful life would have been lost.”

These two stories tell the obvious tale of a person who has sinned and gets a second chance. In Mike’s case the second chance is a story of a complete return to his faith in God, which was interrupted by the discovery of a clerical error. But in both stories the men recognize that they were far removed from where they needed to be and a life of faithful living. Consider, how would these stories have ended without forgiveness? What if the judge had gone strictly by the law? What if the father had not accepted the Prodigal Son’s remorse? Without forgiveness, their turning towards a faithful life would have been lost. Both Mike and the Prodigal Son needed to change and return to their faith, they also needed forgiveness. 

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

 

PARTING THOUGHTS

Can we recover what was lost and then found?

What are our life experiences where we needed to turn to a faithful life and to be forgiven?

How quickly does God forgive if we trust and have faith in God?

 

longevity of faith

 

“Be Strong in the Lord and his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God.”

– Ephesians [6:10]-11

 

AN EVERYDAY WOMAN FULLY ARMED WITH FAITH WHO DEFEATED A STRONG MAN. 

Patricia Williams worked selling time-shares for one of the largest time-share companies. Many of these companies use high-pressure sales tactics and often sell the time-shares at prices much higher than their market value. Patricia’s company was no different. However, she needed a job and she thought this was the best she could find. Over time she noticed illegal sales practices and began to report them anonymously on the company hotline. Unfortunately, her input was not kept anonymous and she was fired. 

“Finally, after four years of fighting, the jury hearing her case found in her favor. She was awarded $20 million dollars in damages.”

Patricia filed a whistle-blower lawsuit claiming she was fired only because she had reported these illegal tactics. When Patricia resisted accepting a small settlement from the company, the company fought back. For four years Patricia struggled financially. Often low on money, she resorted to eating out of her mother’s pantry. The only work she could get paid little. As the suit dragged on, her problems grew. Thankfully, her attorney hung in with her and pressed forward. Finally, after four years of fighting, the jury hearing her case found in her favor. She was awarded $20 million dollars in damages. The company was admonished; many former associates had testified in her defense. 

“Her faith in God sustained her against a more powerful foe.”

When asked why she didn’t settle, Patricia replied, “It’s been a long battle. But I had faith every minute that if I got in front of a jury of twelve unbiased people and an unbiased judge, they would see the truth.” Her faith in God sustained her against a more powerful foe. Jesus describes this faith as being fully armed. Our foes will persist in their attacks and oftentimes seem insurmountable. Times can get tough. But giving in to pressure reduces our Christian armor and allows our foes to overcome us.

“Having a powerful set of armor created by faith in God, surrounds us with protection.”

Many of us hit these times of stress, perhaps not as severe as Patricia’s. When we work in the marketplace, we are exposed. Temptation and schemes surround us daily. Having a powerful set of armor created by faith in God, surrounds us with protection. Very often in these battles there is a short-term loss, followed by a period of doubt. Holding firm when we know we are right becomes our rudder. A life well lived, that includes faith, doesn’t mean we won’t be tested. But it provides us with protection for these times. A life that hasn’t had its faith tested is long overdue. 

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

 

PARTING THOUGHTS

What life experience have we had that tested our faith?

Did we settle or hold fast?

How do we react when tempted to give in? 

 

asking with faith

 

“So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.”

– Luke 11:9

 

SAVING A BUSINESS BY ASKING WITH FAITH

I remember sitting at my desk waiting for an answer. A few hours earlier, our chief accounting officer had told us that we were just hundreds of thousands of dollars from breaking our debt agreements. In effect, our $8 billion company was on the precipice of financial disaster. Six months earlier, I had been made the CFO of Foot Locker, inheriting responsibility for a company that was deeply in debt. Earlier in the day, I had called all our staff in for a meeting and asked if they could stay late that day, until we found a way to keep our company afloat. Not finding the means to do so would put the company into a cataclysmic spiral that would cost thousands their jobs and potentially result in a bankruptcy. We agreed that no one would go home until we came up with a solution.

It took hours, but finally, at 8:30 p.m. that night, our assistant treasurer and the chief accounting officer walked into my office, looking visibly relieved.

“We don’t know what you were so worried about,” they joked weakly. “We found some money in a long-forgotten utility deposit account.”

It was just enough to buy us another ninety days. But that was enough time to avoid the crisis, and we managed to use it to turn the company around. Two years later, we were praised in a Forbes magazine article for managing to make such a tremendous save.

JESUS AND ASKING

Jesus says all we have to do is ask. But there is more to it than just asking. We need to consider, Is what we are asking for the right thing? Are we willing to be patient and wait for God? Are we willing to put in the effort to search for the solution with Jesus? Jesus wants our participation. Once we ask, Jesus wants us to participate in searching for the answer, to take an active role in finding what we seek.

Often, we pray and ask for an answer. Many times, the answer doesn’t arrive on the timeline we’d like it to. Many times, the answer is different—but also better—than what we’d originally hoped for. Each time we ask for God’s help, we must be willing to work toward finding a solution by working with God. This is God’s way. I remember sitting at my desk alone that evening at Foot Locker, calmly considering every possible solution. For hours, I could find no viable option. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a solution materialized.

“Each time we ask for God’s help, we must be
willing to work toward finding a solution by
working with God.”

At times, the answer to our prayers comes through people or circumstances, but it can also come simply from a Bible verse. So, after we ask, we need to become aware of our surroundings. We need to search alongside Jesus for the answers we seek. But we also must be patient. Once we ask for God’s help, we must be willing to wait for the answer on God’s time. If our hearts are pure and we take an active role in seeking what we want or need of God, we will receive what we’ve asked for.

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

 

PARTING THOUGHTS

Can we be patient in prayer?

Do we worry or stay calm after prayer?

How has God responded in the past?

 

 

“Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.”

— Acts [2:46]–47

 

HOW DO CHRISTIAN BUSINESS PEOPLE DEVELOP BELONGING?

Everyone wants to belong to something that is good. It is part of the human condition to want to be a member of a group that has meaning. We search for this in book clubs, in the companies we work for, in our neighborhoods, and within the church. When we belong to a group that is good, we anticipate the meet-ups, we immerse ourselves in helping the other members, and we care. We want to be part of something that important.

When we recruit people to work at our companies, we try to convince them that we are a good group. We have them meet others in our company. We work hard to get them to feel they belong.

Belonging turns into believing. Believing in the principles of the group. Believing in our company. Believing in our book club. Believing in our Christian faith. Believing comes over time; belonging comes first.

“Jesus is not a condemning Lord. Rather Jesus gives life and enriches our lives.”

Many Christian evangelists skip over the belonging part in the process of helping a person to live his or her life through Christ. They espouse the notion of “believe or be doomed.”  Jesus is not a condemning Lord. Rather Jesus  gives life and enriches our lives. Jesus frequently says the word “with.” He strives to bring us into relationship. Jesus knows we are on a journey to find faith together. And the groups that we belong to are there to help us with this journey.

Today’s verse discusses the fellowship of the first-century Christian life. These events occurred shortly after Easter and the passage describes the sense of belonging to the early Christian community. The verse describes a happy, generous, and well-respected group. They were filled with goodwill and had the goodwill of others. Who wouldn’t want to belong to this group? 

“With the help of Jesus, we help others to believe.”

From this small early Christian community grew a group that is today the largest in our world. As Christians we all evangelize; in the way we live, in the way we act, and in the way we talk. With the help of Jesus, we help others to believe. And creating a sense of belonging is the first step.

Creating a sense of belonging in others starts with universal acceptance and affirmation of their humanity. Making others feel welcomed starts with listening. Followed by our own commitment to Christian values that is shown not through words, but by action. By listening we give people a voice. BY walking through our lives with a rigorous adherence to the words of Christ we create a model to follow. Doing both creates in others a sense of belonging. 

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

 

PARTING THOUGHTS

How do we make other people feel welcomed?

Do we let them explore our values at their own pace?

What voice will they have after they join? 

 

 

“ One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.”

— John [9:25]

 

THE “AMAZING” STORY OF JOHN NEWTON’S JOURNEY TO WRITING AMAZING GRACE

John Newton, the former slave ship captain, wrote the famous Christian hymn “Amazing Grace.” Included in the lyrics is the verse from John [9:25], “Was blind, but now I see.” However, John Newton’s past was very checkered. He was known for extraordinarily bad language. One sea captain considered his vocabulary the worst of any seaman he had encountered. He frequently was disobedient and  even was forced to spend time as a slave in Sierra Leone. In spite of his life’s circumstances he continued to be drawn to the sea. Because he was an extraordinarily good seaman, his faults were often overlooked. He endured a number of close calls at sea, where his ships were either close to sinking or in such bad weather that men were washed overboard. Even though he had turned away from God, during these difficult moments he would still cry out, “God have mercy.”

It was through these moments that Newton began to turn to a different life. He became associated with the early Methodist movement in England and became well known to John Wesley. Wesley encouraged him to write and become a pastor. Later he became a rector at a small Anglican church. While at this church he helped write hymns. Included with these hymns was the song “Amazing Grace.” Later in his life,Newton became an avowed abolitionist and was a good friend of William Wilberforce, the person largely responsible for ending the slave trade in England. 

“Overtime, the continued proximity to death and a restless heart forced him deeper into his relationship with Christ.”

John’s conversion occurred over a number of years. He would come close to turning his life around and then fall back. Overtime, the continued proximity to death and a restless heart forced him deeper into his relationship with Christ. And then it became inevitable and it eventually took hold. It was at this point that he was no longer blind, but could see. The words to “Amazing Grace” were many years off, but he could see. 

“Jesus’s healing of the blind man symbolizes our own moment of seeing and giving in to having a relationship with God.”

Today’s verse is about a blind man Jesus healed. The local religious elite, seeking to discredit Jesus, were questioning the blind man, whose sight had been restored. Today’s verse is the blind man’s answer to his questioners. Jesus’s healing of the blind man symbolizes our own moment of seeing and giving in to having a relationship with God. Like Newton we fight back and sometimes have to endure a great deal of hardship before we see. We struggle at times to pursue this relationship with God. Sometimes we are in and at other times we are out. But God persists through Jesus to bring our sight back. We get close and fall back.

Then at some moment the events of our lives tip over our resistance and we are now no longer blind. 

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

 

PARTING THOUGHTS

How is our story similar to John Newton’s?

What holds us back from accepting Jesus?

When do we see?

 

 

“I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.”

— Romans [7:19]

 

FOUR WAYS TO RESOLVE THE INNER CONFLICT OF DOING GOOD

When I first read this verse, I was stunned. How could Paul think this about himself? The Apostle Paul was the earliest Christian writer of the Bible. Inspired by God, he is credited with thirteen of the books in the New Testament. He was largely responsible for starting the Christian movement outside of Jerusalem. His travels to spread the Gospel were extensive, dangerous, and met with skepticism wherever he went. How could this man of extraordinary faith write this verse?

“We all want to think of ourselves as good, but are inherently disappointed when we aren’t.”

In reflection, I realized that Paul is answering one of the most basic questions each of us has with ourselves. We all want to think of ourselves as good, but are inherently disappointed when we sometimes aren’t. We don’t always do the things we know we should, and later in our internal dialogue we question our actions. We go to an important business meeting or interview, full of hope on what we want to accomplish and say, and at times we fall short of being perfect in doing what we hoped. This is the dilemma Paul is talking about. How come we can’t  always be who we know we should be?

The verse gives us hope in the natural human condition, that we all know good. The test is converting this knowledge into action. When we are in an interview, we hope to get the job. But when confronted with a tough question, do we answer completely honestly or do we shade our answers slightly? It is the lure and need of the job that begins to twist us away. Our failures arise from things we want and have the freedom we have to spin the truth to get them. Perhaps it’s also taking a shortcut when no one else is looking. Perhaps it’s massaging some numbers to make our projects look better. It is these points that cause us sometimes to drift into not being who we want to be. 

“Through a life of connected prayer and reflection, Jesus helps us move away from our internal conflicts.”

There are many solutions to this dilemma.

  • The first is to become more aware of these temptations.
  • The second is to see the benefit to our reputation of being honest over the long term.
  • The third is to recognize that our responsibility is to helping others.
  • Lastly and most importantly is the realization that we are inherently good and that our feeling of personal want in these situations needs to diminish to create this greater sense of self-worth.

Even Paul, the greatest of all evangelists, struggled with this concept. It is the natural human condition.

Through a life of connected prayer and reflection, Jesus helps us move away from our internal conflicts.

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

 

PARTING THOUGHTS

How often do we reflect on our inner condition?

What are the things we do to diminish our goodness?

How do we strengthen ourselves to avoid the natural state of want?

 

 

“Whatever your task, put yourself into it, as done for the Lord and not for people, since you know that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you serve the Lord Christ.”

— Colossians [3:23]–24

 

BELAY AND WORKING FOR THE LORD

In early 2017, I sat at my desk frustrated with the results of my efforts to find quality help in finishing my book and getting my website started, along with my Christian advisory services. It wasn’t that the work being completed was poor in quality; my frustration was that it didn’t have that extra effort. The work given to me was lacking the zeal of commitment. In spite of my willingness to give people the creativity to complete tasks as if they were their own, their work lacked the added value that makes things great.

My goal wasn’t to be good, but to produce the best. While I knew where I was going, I didn’t have the ability to be the best I could be without help. I decided to scrap all my plans and start over. I began by searching the Internet with a stronger focus and looking for Christian-based help. There I found my answer, a Christian-based business called BELAY. They had all the resources I needed to get my website fixed, an assistant to help, and people who desired to be the best.

At first I was skeptical, even stating to my BELAY contacts, Lucy and Meg, “I am used to great performers after working for many years with top companies like Foot Locker and Yankee Candle. Can you achieve this standard?” They didn’t reply with heavy salesperson talk. They replied with a thoughtful plan. A plan that produced in six weeks a world-class website, an assistant that was as strong as I had experienced in my previous jobs, and a direction that gave me hope that I was going to be successful.

“We don’t just work, we work for the Lord.”

What was the difference? My new assistant from BELAY, Kristina, explained it to me one day. “We don’t just work, we work for the Lord.” A simple explanation that spoke volumes. Instead of just getting work done, I noticed a warm assertiveness that insisted on doing things the right way. Polite and firm help that raised our level of performance. I noticed that they understood what I wanted, as a Christian author and advisor, even when it was still vague to me.

As we were approaching the launch date for the new website, I noticed an extra effort. Things I hadn’t thought of got done without my asking. E-mails from Kristina and Erica, the webmaster, would appear at one in the morning and later that day at five in the morning. Things got done. They were working for the Lord Christ.

“Each day I am inspired, because I work with great people…those committed to not just doing the job, but working for our Lord Christ.”

Later, as I was looking for an editor, I applied the same thought, “Find a devoted Christian.” I did, Richard Willett, who edited my manuscript in half the time others had quoted. Changes in my writing were made that improved it without fanfare. The publisher of my book, Jesus and Co., upon receiving the manuscript expressed high satisfaction in the editor’s work.

Each day I am inspired, because I work with great people. My answer was on the Internet, in the form of Jesus and those committed to not just doing the job, but working for our Lord Christ.

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

 

PARTING THOUGHTS

Do we work as if we are working for Jesus?

Why is Jesus the difference in our mindsets?

Are there areas in our work today where we could go from good to great?

 

 

“And seeing a fig tree by the side of the road, he went to it and found nothing at all on it but leaves. Then he said to it, ‘May no fruit ever come from you again!’ And the fig tree withered at once.”

— Matthew [21:19]

 

DO THE FRUITS OF OUR EFFORTS PRODUCE GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE?

I was talking with the business manager of a large automobile dealership and asked him, “How many cars a month does your best salesman sell?” He replied, “Thirty a month, month in and month out.” I was stunned. That was almost one and a half each day he worked. Considering the immense amount of paperwork and government forms that had to be filled out for each car, it was even more impressive. The salesman’s name was Steve, and not only did he sell a lot of cars, but he always achieved very high customer service scores. I queried the business manager about how and why Steve was so consistent. His reply was that Steve’s steady business came almost entirely from past customers’ referrals. He had gotten to a point where he only had to provide good customer service and no longer needed to  make cold calls.

“The fruit of his efforts was a steady stream of loyal customers.”

Steve sent out birthday cards to all his customers. He advocated for them when there was a problem. He would take their cars and get gas for them. He knew everyone by first name. In short, he put his customers first. The fruit of his efforts was a steady stream of loyal customers. His fig tree bore fruit because he cared. Customer first and himself second was the only way to accomplish this amazing feat.

How many times have we felt like a salesperson just wanted to sell something to us to make his or her goals? How many times have we felt cheated because of an extra add-on charge? How many times have our interests been put last? We are left feeling used and just there for people to get our cash. Many of us walk away silently and never do business with that person or company again. The salesperson may have won that day, but lost a future customer and many referrals. For a short-term gain there is a long-term loss. 

“Do we really listen to the customer or are we only interested in the sale?”

In today’s verse Jesus condemns the fig tree because it bore no fruit. It provided only leaves. Its purpose was to produce fruit, but it bore none. Many of us are guilty of this as well. We strive for that big sale. It makes our numbers good and our bosses happy. But silently we ignore the customer and in turn choke off our future. Our withered fruits become our reputation. Do we really listen to the customer or are we only interested in the sale? Would we continue buying something from someone like that, knowing we don’t come first? Jesus knew that good business is great customer service. 

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

 

PARTING THOUGHTS

Do we listen to our customers or do we push our goals?

How many repeat sales do we get?

How do we show value to our customers?