At 18 years old I moved from Sunnyvale, Texas to Abilene for school. That same year my dad took a job in another state, and I never lived in my parent's home again. Since then I have resided in Texas, Colorado, Utah, Missouri, Florida, and finally Kentucky. I have explored cities and towns in the north, midwest, deep south, and the west coast. I even stopped to use a restroom in Merkel, Texas, (if that is what you could call it), but I would like to forget that experience.
There is one thing that all of these places have in common with one another. They all have the same Wal-mart. I know some places have "Super Wal-marts" and some have "not so super" Wal-marts. Honestly, the size of the Wal-mart really makes no difference. Regardless of size, hours of operation, or the layout of the store, they are the same. While traveling, if you visit your friendly neighborhood Wally world, it will smell like the one you have back home. You will be welcomed by the same greeters you have at home. You will receive the same pink sticker at the entrance, if you want to return an item. Folks, let's face it, we can depend on Wal-Mart. Give me a Wal- mart vest with the yellow smiley face, and let me rollback some prices. I am a fan.
My favorite thing about Wal-Mart, that I believe sets it apart from other stores, is their customer service. If you cannot find an item, and you ask an employee, they know exactly where it is located. Furthermore, if you walk down an aisle where an employee is working, they will stop and ask you if they can help you find anything. What happens next is pure magic. They do not simply tell you where it is located and stay focused on the task they were engaged in at the moment. They stop what they are doing and walk you to where you can find your item. They will even walk you across the store if that is what it takes for you to find what you are looking for.
I love it.
I did a little research, and found out the secret to their success. Wal-Mart teaches their employees the 10ft. principle. Whoever is within 10 feet of you, or your area, is your responsibility. Anyone within 10ft of you, no matter what you are doing, serve them. More than likely they are searching for something, and you must show them where to find it. That is service.
Todays reading comes from John 6:65. Blackaby writes " Therefore whenever Jesus saw that the Father was drawing a person to Himself, Jesus immediately began relating to that person."
Whenever Jesus saw that God was working in people's lives around him, he focused on that person. Jesus was always looking to see where God was working, and that was his priority. Now that is SERVICE>
Consider this:
Do you see God working in the lives of the people around you?
Do you practice the 10 ft. principle in your life ...are people within a 10ft radius of your life,(those closest to you all the time, family, co-workers, neighbors) a priority.
As God begins to work around you , are you willing to drop what you are doing, and walk with someone to help them find what they are searching for?
Jeff Armstrong
Next Generation Pastor and Wal Mart enthusiast
No comments:
Post a Comment