“The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, ‘Follow me.’”

— John [1:43]

 

FOLLOW ME – JESUS OF NAZARETH

When Henry Heinz, the founder of the H. J. Heinz Company, wrote his will, he included as his first lines, “I desire to set forth, at the very beginning of this will, as the most important item in it, a confession of my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior.” Henry Heinz founded the company called “Heinz 57” with his brother after previously filing for bankruptcy. They started out making ketchup and eventually expanded to over sixty other products. A successful company largely in Pittsburgh, it grew to become one of the biggest food producing companies in the world. Beyond his being a devout Christian, the unusual first words of Henry’s will represented a lifetime of living his faith. 

“The words in Henry Heinz’s will reflect the life he led and were a statement of his focus in following Jesus.”

The H. J. Heinz Company had a reputation for fair treatment of their employees, at a time when fair labor standards existed only in the future. By 1906, he was providing his employees with free medical care. In his facilities, he had gyms, swimming pools, and gardens. He provided educational opportunities, libraries, concerts, and lectures. He was a pioneer in safe and sanitary food preparation. At a time in our country’s history when many corporations ignored these social items, Heinz was a leader. The words in Henry Heinz’s will reflect the life he led and were a statement of his focus in following Jesus. 

“Following Christ requires a self-examination by ourselves, of why we follow.”

Jesus finds Philip and recognizes in him a stout and honest man. Philip will become one of the Jesus’s leading recruiters. When he meets Philip, he says, “Follow me.” Philip follows. Philip was the connection to Nathanael, Andrew, and Peter. In later life he is credited with traveling to many parts of the Middle East and preaching the Gospel. He represented the true nature of Christianity by following Christ. Not just physically, but spiritually. Following Christ requires a self-examination by ourselves, of why we follow. Do we follow for gain or profit? Or do we follow out of a real desire to know him? To give up our past lives requires a change of focus. It doesn’t mean we give up who we are and what we do, but we give up a previous focus. We change our attitude on why we do things.

“The first lines of his will described whom he followed and where his focus rested, with Jesus.”

For Henry Heinz, his focus could have been on squeezing out a few more dollars by not being generous to his employees. He could have increased his net worth by not being charitable. His focus, however, was to be successful in a way that supported his choice to follow. Certainly, lobbying for tougher food standards cost him margin dollars. The first lines of his will described whom he followed and where his focus rested, with Jesus. 

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

 

PARTING THOUGHTS

What does it mean to follow Jesus?

What do we have to give up?

 

 

“Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God”

– Matthew [19:24]

 

WHERE ARE OUR HEARTS?

In our modern marketplace we are taught and encouraged that the measure of our success is how much we make. Corporations are rewarded for increasing their earnings per share. We all want our raises and bonuses to be bigger. For many who read this verse in Matthew it appears that Jesus is saying that if you are rich you won’t be able to go to heaven. However, if we use the discipline of historical context, we can see a different message. A message that refers more to where our hearts reside.

“Jesus desires for us to turn our hearts humbly to the purpose of God.”

In ancient Jerusalem there were two gates to enter the city. A large gate where all could pass and a smaller gate used at night to prevent entry by potentially dangerous invaders. The smaller gate was called the “Eye of the Needle.” For camels to get through this gate they had to kneel and be relieved of all their baggage. The camel was the largest beast of burden in ancient Judea, suggesting its purpose in Jesus’s analogy. The act of kneeling is a humbling act. An act of submission or honor, both in the ancient world and today. Jesus desires for us to turn our hearts humbly to the purpose of God.

A writer friend of mine engaged with a well-connected literary figure who signed a contract promising to help my friend get his book published. For a sizeable amount of money from the aspiring writer, the literary figure promised to introduce him to publishing firms. A contract was signed and the literary figure sent off an e-mail to an agent, who replied to the writer with a rejection. From the literary figure’s point of view, an introduction had been made and therefore the money was due. While technically the literary figure had provided the contracted service, he did little more than send a random e-mail to a random agent. The aspiring writer was on the hook to pay the contract fee but had little to show for his money. While everything was done legally according to the contract, the heart of the literary figure was in making money and not in providing substantial help to the writer. His actions were legally correct, but not correct within the context of intention.

“Jesus cautions us to be humble and careful in pursuing wealth…To decide between a short-term gain and being fair with our neighbors. He is saying that when we stand at this crossroads, we should follow a heart that wants to help others.”

In this story lies the point of Jesus’s message. Is our goal to make money regardless of who we affect? The lure of wealth often times puts us in this position, to decide between a short-term gain and being fair with our neighbors. In the marketplace we often stand at this crossroads. Jesus isn’t saying that being rich is bad. He is saying that when we stand at this crossroads, we should follow a heart that wants to help others. Jesus cautions us to be humble and careful in pursuing wealth. He is well aware of the temptation of riches and the delusional effect of wealth. He is advising us that the pursuit of wealth, while intoxicating, can be harmful to our hearts. Are we following the command of Galatians [5:13] to put aside our own worldly desire and instead using what we have to serve others in love?

Earning a living isn’t the issue; where our hearts reside is the issue.

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

 

PARTING THOUGHTS

Do we make decisions that are made with a heart that wants to help?

How do we protect our hearts from the delusions of wealth?

How do we stay humble?

 

 

“As for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the angels of the church, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.”

– Revelation [1:20]

 

THE NUMBER SEVEN AND BUSINESS PLANNING

One of my favorite things in helping a business or a businessperson is to review the company’s or the individual’s strategic plan or purpose. How do they guide themselves? How do they think about their customers? What is important to them? It shows up in their strategic plan. Good businesses can articulate their mission crisply and quickly. Both their employees and their customers know the mission. Those that have a long, extensive strategic plan are usually unfocused. Those that have no plan or are unsure are rudderless. It almost always shows up in their results.

“In the Bible the number seven represents perfection and is considered divine.”

An exercise I do for businesses is to get them to write their mission in seven words. It forces them to be both concise and focused. Listing out the seven words is hard; it involves looking again at what the purpose of the business is. The next step is to list the seven actions a business needs to take to accomplish this mission. Are the seven action steps harmonious with the mission and are they consistent with how the business is being run? Would the employees and customers agree? In its simplicity, a focused approach makes us think beyond the seven words and seven actions, but it isn’t overbearing and doesn’t require massive committees. This also works for the rest of our lives. When looking for a job or trying to be more successful with your career, do we have a plan?

“In its simplicity, a focused approach makes us think…it isn’t overbearing and doesn’t require massive committees. This also works for the rest of our lives.”

In the Bible the number seven means perfection or completeness. It is tied to the creation of the world. While I am not a fan of numerology, we can see that the number seven is important to God, by the fact that throughout the Bible it is used 860 times. If we were taking a Bible test, the number seven would be on the test. The first act by God for humankind was the seven days of creation. Jesus performed seven miracles on the seventh day. In the Bible the number seven represents perfection and is considered divine.

When using the method of seven in our business or life plans, not only are we focused, but we are honoring our Christian values. In a sense we are asking God to bless our plan. The plan of seven doesn’t take long, but it requires thought and insight. It highlights where we have to get better and where we are doing well. The seven actions we need to take will awaken us to the state of our business. If we take out the business or life plan once a week, it becomes part of our daily thinking. We can hire high-priced consultants to tell us what we already know, but I am not sure it is any more effective than to follow the roadmap of God.

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

 

PARTING THOUGHTS

Do we have a life or business plan?

How does it measure up to what our employees and customers think?

Do we have a life plan and are we following the plan?

 

path through the woods

 

“The kingdom of God is not coming with things that can be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you.”

— Luke [17:20]–21

]THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AMONG US

One of my clients, Bill, had been on a long search for a job. Each day he met disappointment with this search. He is skilled in his craft and has an amazing amount of insight. He would be a great person for someone to hire. But each door got shut and he was thrown into despair. He was well off, with enough to allow himself to not work. But he wanted to do something and searched every day. He prayed and asked Jesus to help him. He went on long retreats and asked Jesus to give him answers. One retreat at a Catholic center required him to be silent for three days. It was a place with little to distract him, which would allow him to be in a constant state of prayer. Where was his answer?

“His gift was of a bounty that would allow him to be whom Jesus wanted him to be.”

Bill was looking in the wrong places. His answer was right in front of him. He had been given a gift. He didn’t have to go back to the old life, and in fact he didn’t really like his old craft. He just wanted to work. His despair was centered on doing the same thing he’d done before, which he could no longer achieve. His gift was of a bounty that would allow him to be whom Jesus wanted him to be. He had freedom to go wherever he wanted. To be whoever he wanted. Letting go was causing his despair. 

“It is the spirit of God that lets us know what our gifts are.”

In today’s verse, the Apostle Paul talks about the gifts bestowed on us by God. It is the spirit of God that lets us know what our gifts are. At times we may forget them, and other times we may try other things. But knowing them becomes our purpose. Given by God and centered by God. How many of us can write a life plan that capture our gifts and fit it into seven words.  Our talents are the gifts bestowed upon us and worth writing down.

When I was working as a Fortune 500 CFO and responsible for hiring people, I used an approach called the “profile employee.” While their gifts were important, it was who they were that mattered the most. It was how well they understood themselves that counted. In review meetings the managers would say that he/she was a “profile employee.” To an employee it was the highest compliment. We didn’t care about any “ism”; we hired anyone who was positive, wanted to learn, and wanted to do “good.”

“The Kingdom of God can be found down a new path in our lives, which we don’t know. One that isn’t familiar. But that has always been among us.”

Many of us look in the same places over and over again for what we want. Those familiar places of our past. We know the path and it is comfortable. Jesus tells us that the Kingdom of God cannot be observed, but it is among us. It is here! But we cannot see it.

Our journey in life will often send us down the old familiar paths. A path we can see and trust. It is like an old friend whose every nuance we know well. The Kingdom of God can be found down a new path in our lives, which we don’t know. One that isn’t familiar. But that has always been among us. 

“He had a different purpose now. Not to be given to, but to be giving.”

Bill finally got his answer, by asking a different question: “Jesus, what do you want from me?” Not “what can you do for me?” Bill knew he had to become an inward person and not look outward so hard, because he had already found the Kingdom of God. His new job was to be among people. To help them. He had a different purpose now. Not to be given to, but to be giving. It cheered him up. It gave him value and joy to know he was helping God. His Kingdom of God was to help, and that was the way his heart was quieted. A sense of peace. Many times we look and the answer is among us.

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

 

PARTING THOUGHTS

Where are we looking?

What questions are we asking in prayer?

How do we feel the Kingdom of God?

 

waves over rocks

 

“Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God.”

— 1 Corinthians [2:12]

OUR LIFE PLAN AND OUR GIFTS FROM GOD

Sitting in Starbucks with a friend I was helping, I saw it. There it was, a perfect seven-word life plan. It said, “Be happy, continue learning, and do good.” Simple, but complex when I got to know  Richard, the man who wrote this plan for his life. Richard is a happy person, but very thoughtful. He is a person you can trust and is extraordinarily humble. He serves as crew chief for his local EMT squad. When he shows up to help you, you are in good hands. He won’t panic, and for those moments he is in control, you can trust he is with you. He does good in places where others would cringe. He knows a lot. He can perform expert activities on Excel. He knows how products flow in business. He studies a lot and has an incredible desire to learn more. 

“Be happy, continue learning, and do good.”

Richard is also unemployed. Why won’t anyone hire Richard? Simple: He is over fifty. He isn’t the  latest model. He is part of the largely ignored sector of our workforce that is considered too old. We have all kinds of “isms” for all kinds of biology. Some real and some perceived. But ageism is real. People like Richard have to work harder to find a job. When people find out their age, the phone line goes dead. Ironically, people like Richard will stay working for companies longer than the newer models. They offer experience that is time tested. They know how to tell their bosses the hard answers. In Richard’s case, many in the workforce who are younger and amazing, profess skills with Excel, but let me assure you they are not as capable with Excel as Richard.

But Richard has a life plan, and it fits him. He will continue looking for a job without bitterness. He just wants to work. He will continue to exist not being the new shiny penny. He will continue to be happy and do good. He will continue to look for a job. 

“It is the spirit of God that lets us know what our gifts are.”

In today’s verse, the Apostle Paul talks about the gifts bestowed on us by God. It is the spirit of God that lets us know what our gifts are. At times we may forget them, and other times we may try other things. But knowing them becomes our purpose. Given by God and centered by God. How many of us can write a life plan that capture our gifts and fit it into seven words.  Our talents are the gifts bestowed upon us and worth writing down.

When I was working as a Fortune 500 CFO and responsible for hiring people, I used an approach called the “profile employee.” While their gifts were important, it was who they were that mattered the most. It was how well they understood themselves that counted. In review meetings the managers would say that he/she was a “profile employee.” To an employee it was the highest compliment. We didn’t care about any “ism”; we hired anyone who was positive, wanted to learn, and wanted to do “good.”

Richard is a profile employee and I am happy helping him find a job.

 

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

 

PARTING THOUGHTS

What are the most important characteristics in a life plan?

What are our gifts?

Do we allow others to define us?

 

Jesus in silence

 

“Then he said to him, ‘Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well.’”

— Luke [17:19]

USING FAITH TO GO ON OUR WAY

It is easy to say, “Get up and dust yourself off.” Many of us have heard this encouragement. But it isn’t so easy to do. Perhaps we have had a major financial setback or are struggling with a relationship. In those silent moments by ourselves, we twist and we turn, searching for answers. We head down various mental paths and look in each corner. Perhaps we cry out and silently yell it’s not fair. And it probably isn’t. It is true we should just get up and dust ourselves off and go on. But it isn’t that easy for everyone.

Faith is like that. Sometimes it’s easy to go into the building of faith and hit the elevator for the top floor and just arrive. But other times in our lives we have to investigate every room in the building of faith. To find out what’s there and see if it helps us. We have to walk up each stair and see what’s on the next floor. With the spirit of Christ in us, we know the answer is on the top floor, but we have to press back our doubts by exploring. Others may say, “Just have faith.” But these journeys help us have faith. They allow us to cross off what doesn’t work. They allow us to let our heart catch up with our intellectual knowledge.

Our faith will make us well. But we have to first move to that place where we can get up and be on our way.

Jesus says, “Move on. Your faith has made you well.” Jesus has to say that, because it is right. Our faith will make us well. But we have to first move to that place where we can get up and be on our way. It is at this point where we have to decide that our progress must be forward. Our investigation has to propel us to a conclusion. It is faith that we can hang on to after we have investigated every floor, but the investigation process itself can be revealing and strengthen our faith. It is when this strengthening has occurred that we can truly get up and be on our way. 

“The journey in the inner building of our self with Jesus will reveal and teach us to have faith.”

With Jesus in our hearts, we can have confidence that our journey will be well. Regardless of our inner investigation, all paths will lead back to faith. All thoughts of ill will will disappear. All thoughts of self-pity will wither away. We will return. The journey in the inner building of our self with Jesus will reveal and teach us to have faith. Jesus will be with us on this journey regardless of our despair. And when we are done, we will be able to get up and be on our way. 

Have faith!

 

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

 

PARTING THOUGHTS

What do we do when we fall down?

How do we restore our faith?

How long should it take?

 

praying to God

 

“No slave can serve two masters: for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”

— Luke [16:13]

WHOM DO WE SERVE?

John Tyson, CEO of Tyson Foods, has hired more than one hundred chaplains for his workforce. The chaplains deal with family issues, drug and alcohol addiction, and faith issues. The company employees regularly serve meals to those affected by disaster, under a program called “Meals That Matter.” The company has won the International Spirit at Work Award. Not all the employees are Christian, but all are accepted.

“What convinced the board to promote John was his deep faith.”

When John was younger, he dealt with his own demons. He suffered from alcoholism and was far off his path. Through his Christian faith he recovered. However, when his father was set to turn the company over to John, the board of directors had very serious concerns. Through a number of conversations, John was able to convince them of his worthiness. What convinced the board to promote John was his deep faith. He was made CEO and in 2000 implemented the chaplain program at Tyson Foods. 

“Jesus points out the pitfalls of being self-interested in the workplace.”

Today’s verse is from the parable of the Dishonest Manager. In this parable Jesus points out the pitfalls of being self-interested in the workplace. The pitfalls of not serving God and your company first. It is a parable not about whether being rich is good or bad, but about whom we serve. When we work, do we keep Jesus’s tenet of “Love your God and Love your neighbor” foremost? Or do we dive deeper into our own ambitions? When we work, do we think about benefiting our customers? Do we think about fair play with our employees and other employees? Where are our hearts and whom do we serve is the critical question. 

“When we serve God and our neighbor, we begin to do what we ought to do.”

The temptation to serve ourselves and money is persistent. It pervades the workplace in each day, hour, and minute. We are constantly beset with the choice of serving money or something greater. Serving money and ourselves may have significant short-term gains, but will usually end poorly. When we serve God and our neighbor, we begin to do what we ought to do. 

Jesus is clear we can’t serve both. The decisions we make are always choices between one or the other. When we decide our path, we decide on wealth or God.

 

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

 

PARTING THOUGHTS

What are examples in our work life of a choice between two different goals?

How do we handle these choices?

Are we willing to forgo short-term gains for the benefit of others?

 

 

“What is impossible for mortals is possible for God”

— Luke [18:27]

IMPOSSIBLE ODDS

On October 31, 2003, Bethany Hamilton was surfing along Tunnels Beach in Hawaii. As she lay on her surfboard, a tiger shark swam by and bit her arm. The shark severed the arm and left Bethany bleeding profusely in the water. People from the beach and other surfers hurried to help her get back to shore. The father of one of the surfers applied a tourniquet to stop the bleeding. A doctor who lived nearby rushed to help and attended to her during her trip to the hospital. She lay in the hospital with 60 percent of her blood gone. Her dad was scheduled to have knee surgery that morning, so he gave up his slot and Bethany was successfully operated on. She was only thirteen. 

“With one arm, she did participate in the world surfing championship, and she won.”

While she was in recovery, she and her mother prayed. They prayed that God would use this accident for His glory. After a week Bethany was released, and she began to think about the national surfing championships that were scheduled in three weeks. She recovered with remarkable speed and continued a state of prayer. With one arm, she did participate in the championships, and she won. All with one arm and being only one month removed from her accident. She had come close to dying, and a remarkable set of events had saved her life. To have won the surfing title with one arm was even more remarkable; in fact it seemed impossible.

Jesus points out that we as mortals can view things as impossible, but to God all is possible. When we pray, we have a chance. When we pray with the right heart we can succeed. Bethany and her mom asked God to help, not for their glory, but for God’s. Theirs was a heart designed to show that in spite of overwhelming odds, God could do the impossible.

Jesus knows our wants and prayers. Jesus hears. Setting our hearts to the right attitude, and recognizing that God can surpass all human understanding, completes our prayer.

We have all had those times when it seemed like doom awaited us. We worry and we pace. What is the answer? How do we overcome? We overcome when we change the perspective from us to God. When we turn it all over to God and leave behind our deep thoughts of despair, we give God space to fix our lives. Maybe not as dramatically as Bethany Hamilton’s, but it will be dramatic. God’s answer will be unique. We will know God’s answer belongs to us. Like a great present given to us on Christmas by a close friend, it will be deeply personal. We will know it came from God. 

“When we worry, our heart does not leave room for God. When we trust God, there is space for miracles.”

 

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

 

PARTING THOUGHTS

What do we do when we face obstacles, do we pray first and worry last?

What miracles have we experienced and how did we know it was from God?

 

 

“For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

— Luke [14:11]

HUMILITY

Bob showed up at my door to fix a few things around the house. After many weeks of trying to make an appointment, Bob had been able to fit me into his very busy schedule. What I noticed quickly was his humility. A quiet man of Mohawk heritage, he lived among us without fame, but he was sought after. He looked at my work, took pictures, and was remarkably thorough with his inspection. As our visit wore on and he got comfortable with my openness, he told me about his heritage. The heritage of being one of the very few Native Americans who lived in a mostly white community. A heritage where he and his brothers served their country. A heritage that made it hard for him to understand why they had to run a gas pipeline through a besieged group of people in South Dakota. Not judgmental, but seeking answers. 

“He always paid him more than what he had assumed he would, because Bob was good at his craft and humble in his requests.”

Bob worked most days for fourteen hours. As I said, he was highly sought after. His request for payment was always “Pay for my materials and whatever else you think I am worth.” The friend who referred him to me, Chris, explained that this was Bob’s way. He always paid him more than what he had assumed he would, because Bob was good at his craft and humble in his requests. I am sure this unusual way of billing exposed him to being taken advantage of by others. But I am also sure that his humility and high quality of work inspired others to overpay. Bob is humble, thorough, and busy. 

“When we humble ourselves, we invite God’s recognition of our humanity.”

In today’s verse Jesus makes an important life statement. He instructs us to be careful with how we view ourselves. To not make our successes higher than they are and to be humble in who we are. My friend Dick explains it by saying, “It’s nice to be important, but more important to be nice.” Jesus also issues a warning, that when we act higher than others, we invite downfall. When we humble ourselves, we invite God’s recognition of our humanity. 

“Hubris is an untrustworthy companion, Humility can be trusted.”

Many times in my own career, after I had achieved a great success, I believed I was better than I was. Almost immediately these thoughts of greatness were erased by a calamity. In my youth I didn’t tie in the connection as well as I would later in life. But this pattern was consistent. It took me  many years to realize that my success was the result of others and God. Later in life I would make the sign of the cross on my chest to thank God for recent successes and acknowledge others for their help. Hubris is an untrustworthy companion, humility can be trusted. 

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

 

PARTING THOUGHTS

How do we act when we succeed?

Do we take the time to recognize others and God for our successes? 

 

 

“Salt is good; but if salt has lost its taste, how can saltiness be restored? It is fit neither for the soil nor the manure pile; they throw it away. Let anyone with ears to hear listen!”

— Luke [14:34]–35

SALT AND HONOR

When my daughter was a sophomore in college, Wells Fargo gave her a credit card. She had no income, other than what her parents sent her as an allowance. Not knowing that the credit card existed, I was surprised to receive the bill. When I asked my daughter the circumstances, she told me she had been pre-approved, and when she went to the local branch, they gave her the credit card. How did they do their income check? How did they know if she could pay them back? They didn’t, and my daughter had just learned a hard lesson. My question was, why would one of America’s largest banks be so sloppy? 

“Wells Fargo had lost its saltiness and honor in the pursuit of profits at any cost.”

]Wells Fargo had survived the great bank crisis of 2008, better than all the other banks. In fact, they needed no government help. This was largely attributable to their CEO, John Stumpf. His steady hand guided through and around all the pitfalls of bad lending practices in the early 2000’s. But in 2016 the bank was exposed as issuing bad credit cards to people who neither wanted them nor could afford them. Five thousand and three hundred people were fired. John Stumpf, the once great icon of responsible banking, lost his job as well. A lifetime’s impeccable reputation down the drain. Wells Fargo had lost its saltiness and honor in the pursuit of profits at any cost. A corporate culture emerged away from responsible business practices and toward treating customers like they were apples to be picked. After the news of the scandal broke, the bank’s stock fell very far. 

“Jesus cautions us avoid those paths that take us away from our core value of honor.”

Jesus cautions us to retain our saltiness. Jesus cautions us avoid those paths that take us away from our core value of honor. To avoid giving in to a short-term solution that takes advantage of others. Ethically, Jesus tells us our actions will have consequences. These consequences can be severe. Severe enough that a lifetime of honorable work can be wiped out. Our honor and how we handle decisions is our salt.

“There will be times we have to let the other person win. But we will remain with our biggest asset, Our salt and our honor.”

Many of us face decisions like this every day in our work and daily life. Decisions that seem small but that, made without honor, can be disastrous. For most of us our reputation is our greatest asset. We don’t have large trust funds or a big inheritance. We earn our living based on who we are. Our honor is our salt. It is what makes us good. For all our decisions, our salt should come first. Surely there will be times when that means we lose a big sale or big client. There will be times we have to let the other person win. But we will remain with our biggest asset. Our salt and our honor.

Blessings, until next time,
Bruce L. Hartman

 

PARTING THOUGHTS

What is our decision-making process, do we take our reputation into account?

How do we evaluate our next steps and does it include “fairplay”?

Whom do we admire that is admirable?