Several people have commented to me recently about a company telling them one thing and then doing another. I know my memory is not good, but I have also noticed how folks will say one thing and then change their minds when it comes right down to having to do it.
Have you noticed an up tick in the frequency of that happening in your business dealings?
Promises, oaths, covenants, and agreements – when you give your word it’s important to stick by it.
Someone asked to meet with me. I got all dressed up and drove over to meet with them. He stood me up. He set up another meeting with me. He stood me up again. Do you know what I did? I took his business card and made a great big black “X” corner to corner and put it in my Rolodex.
I did this because I wanted to be sure I never agreed to meet with him again, and that I never sent him a referral either. It has been 5 years, and I think his card is still in there.
It wasn’t that I have not forgiven it. I have. It’s just that he was not considerate of my time. He was not at all apologetic. He never even called me back after the second time. I’m okay with that, but I am not going to send him any business because I don’t want to have someone I refer to him be treated like that. If they were, then I would feel like I had a part in it.
It is one thing to get stood up by someone that simply forgot about the meeting. We have all had it happen to us, and we may have even – the imperfect folks we are – stood up others. It’s another thing to intentionally stand up someone or to intentionally break an agreement. That equates to intentional lying.
And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
Ephesians 4:23-25
If you want your business to succeed, you can put it on the right track by being honest and forthcoming in you business dealings, and by keeping your word. Standing folks up, breaking contracts when it is convenient, or just not doing what you have said you’d do will catch up to you.
One of the challenges we face today as business owners that really shows our character is what we do when we are faced with a situation that we could do the legal and convenient thing or we could do the ethical thing.
The choice will be yours. What will you do?
LIFE APPLICATION
Key Focal Verse:
Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,
2 Timothy 1:9
Today’s challenge is to pray about how you can succeed at doing the things that God has for you do. Ask Him to show you how to fulfill that plan He has for your life. Ask Him to give you the strength to make that right decision and to always keep your word even when the going is tough.