Proverbs 3:28
Do not say to your neighbor, "Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow"-- when you now have it with you.
Luke 10:27
He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' "
I wrote earlier about the "spiritual" experience of sitting through a timeshare sale presentation. If we had not gone through this we would have missed the ministry opportunity we had with the "front person" who scheduled the visit in the first place.
God works in wonderful and mysterious ways; sometimes I am too busy looking in the wrong place to see Him work.
Meet Ann, the "concierge" at the resort we visited in South Carolina.
She scheduled our timeshare sales presentation; that should have been our last interaction.
However, she invited us to come back and let her schedule and reserve the seats for the entertainment that we earned for sitting for 2 hours. She was so helpful that we asked for advice for places to dine; she gave us great seats at the show and great advice on dining, too.
Something else was calling us into a deeper relationship with Ann. While we talked with her more, we found out that she had 2 previous marriages and no husband now for a medically-distressed four-year-old daughter, who weighs only 14 pounds - I thought I had problems!
Ann works all day and stays up all night with her daughter who can't sleep except for short naps; this goes on for 4 days each week. I get tired just thinking about it.
With all of the kindness Ann showed us, my wife and I bought a little gift for her daughter and presented it to her the next day. You might have thought the gift was a new home by her reaction; she was crying tears of joy before she opened the stuffed animal and a Max Lucado book for children. She gave us an Easter card the next day; more tears and hugs - you get the picture.
If you have gone this far, you may ask, 'what has this got to with development?'
All of life, if seen through the Savior's eyes, is a spiritual experience. There is a life lesson in almost all we do, especially when we go "life on life".
Ann is another person created in God's image with purpose, capacity, passion and a legacy. If we can open the heart doors through acts of genuine Christian love, there are marvelous opportunities to minister Christ and usher folks into new and exciting places; places where they can impact lives for eternity.
Isn't that worth the time with a stranger?
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Monday, April 6, 2009
Lessons from a timeshare
In order for someone to "buy" our school to the point where they will contribute several key hurdles must be crossed. Before we look at those, let me share an interesting sales experience I had recently; going through a timeshare sales presentation.
There are things we can learn from the secular world; after all truth is truth whether people credit the truth Giver or not.
Before you roll your eyes, consider this fact: three of ten presentations result in a sale. Yes, from a "dead stop" to writing a check takes less than 2 hours. A sale of something a person did not know they needed from a total stranger to a new mortgage in 120 minutes.
I am asking, "Wait! We're selling something with lasting and eternal significance and it takes us (sometimes) years to see people make their first contribution. What gives?"
Here is the anatomy of our experience:
1. Getting us to sit down and declare our (vacation) priorities - our values
2. Letting us dream about what we could do (vacation-wise) without regard for price - our passions
3. Showing us the impact and flexibility of our purchase (fixed price, weeks anywhere, easy upgrade and deluxe accommodations)- our plans
4. Showing us the full price - and us saying "no way could we do that" - our resources
5. Giving us a sense of urgency - "this deal will not be here tomorrow" - our timing
6. Finally, presenting us with a workable plan that met our budget (we didn't buy, but it was enticing)- our legacy
How about the Christian school, or any ministry for that matter?
I contend that what we experienced in this sales experience is a marvelous example of how we can meet our donors where they are and usher them (as the Holy Spirit leads the process) to invest in a better investment, the lives of future generations.
There are many differences between selling a timeshare and the "selling" of Christian education, but there are key similarities:
1. Values - what do they believe about children and their education?
2. Passions - what is the dream that is only limited by current resources?
3. Plans - What is their timing and situation in terms of Kingdom investments (it may not be education, which is OK)
4. Resources - what is available for investment? income, assets, time, talents, connections?
5. Timing - Is this the time that the Lord is leading to make an investment?
6. Legacy - What will be the lasting impact? Reflect back on the values and passions
I do not advocate trying to go from stranger to supporter in 2 hours, but I would not preclude it either.
What we can learn is that donors' hearts and heads (just like ours) must be connected before decisive action can be taken.
By the way, every seller of the timeshares was first a committed and an enthusiastic owner.
There are things we can learn from the secular world; after all truth is truth whether people credit the truth Giver or not.
Before you roll your eyes, consider this fact: three of ten presentations result in a sale. Yes, from a "dead stop" to writing a check takes less than 2 hours. A sale of something a person did not know they needed from a total stranger to a new mortgage in 120 minutes.
I am asking, "Wait! We're selling something with lasting and eternal significance and it takes us (sometimes) years to see people make their first contribution. What gives?"
Here is the anatomy of our experience:
1. Getting us to sit down and declare our (vacation) priorities - our values
2. Letting us dream about what we could do (vacation-wise) without regard for price - our passions
3. Showing us the impact and flexibility of our purchase (fixed price, weeks anywhere, easy upgrade and deluxe accommodations)- our plans
4. Showing us the full price - and us saying "no way could we do that" - our resources
5. Giving us a sense of urgency - "this deal will not be here tomorrow" - our timing
6. Finally, presenting us with a workable plan that met our budget (we didn't buy, but it was enticing)- our legacy
How about the Christian school, or any ministry for that matter?
I contend that what we experienced in this sales experience is a marvelous example of how we can meet our donors where they are and usher them (as the Holy Spirit leads the process) to invest in a better investment, the lives of future generations.
There are many differences between selling a timeshare and the "selling" of Christian education, but there are key similarities:
1. Values - what do they believe about children and their education?
2. Passions - what is the dream that is only limited by current resources?
3. Plans - What is their timing and situation in terms of Kingdom investments (it may not be education, which is OK)
4. Resources - what is available for investment? income, assets, time, talents, connections?
5. Timing - Is this the time that the Lord is leading to make an investment?
6. Legacy - What will be the lasting impact? Reflect back on the values and passions
I do not advocate trying to go from stranger to supporter in 2 hours, but I would not preclude it either.
What we can learn is that donors' hearts and heads (just like ours) must be connected before decisive action can be taken.
By the way, every seller of the timeshares was first a committed and an enthusiastic owner.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
God's plans and our plans
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
This week something sad or disappointing (in our eyes) happened and this week something wonderful (in our eyes) happened as well.
How do we know what is truly good or bad? Do we even need to know? If we knew such things, what would we do with such knowledge?
In God's economy there is no wasted or lost effort. Because we serve at His pleasure, it is His perspective that we need to keep in the forefront of our minds. Nothing that happens is lost or is unuseful in the hands of the Designer and Sustainer of the universe.
All of it comes (as I said in a previous post) from the hand of a loving God who has marvelous plans for us. And, yes, plans to prosper us even when we cannot see how at the time. That is why we walk by faith and not by the very limited sight of our eyes and finite understanding.
Think about one wonderful school interaction; maybe you were blessed to receive a large gift from a donor. This was from the Lord and you were blessed to be the "catcher" of this material blessing for the school. I had that joy this week.
Think about a "sub-optimal" occurrence. Someone doesn't call back or a gift doesn't come through. Think on this and ponder what the Father is calling us to do, praise Him at all times and in all circumstances.
By the way, I was told this week that my position at the school has been eliminated and I am now out of a job. I am sad and puzzled, yet expectant about what our Lord is up to.
I worked for King last week; I will work for the King next week, too.
Be blessed and be a blessing!
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
This week something sad or disappointing (in our eyes) happened and this week something wonderful (in our eyes) happened as well.
How do we know what is truly good or bad? Do we even need to know? If we knew such things, what would we do with such knowledge?
In God's economy there is no wasted or lost effort. Because we serve at His pleasure, it is His perspective that we need to keep in the forefront of our minds. Nothing that happens is lost or is unuseful in the hands of the Designer and Sustainer of the universe.
All of it comes (as I said in a previous post) from the hand of a loving God who has marvelous plans for us. And, yes, plans to prosper us even when we cannot see how at the time. That is why we walk by faith and not by the very limited sight of our eyes and finite understanding.
Think about one wonderful school interaction; maybe you were blessed to receive a large gift from a donor. This was from the Lord and you were blessed to be the "catcher" of this material blessing for the school. I had that joy this week.
Think about a "sub-optimal" occurrence. Someone doesn't call back or a gift doesn't come through. Think on this and ponder what the Father is calling us to do, praise Him at all times and in all circumstances.
By the way, I was told this week that my position at the school has been eliminated and I am now out of a job. I am sad and puzzled, yet expectant about what our Lord is up to.
I worked for King last week; I will work for the King next week, too.
Be blessed and be a blessing!
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