Recently I have had the great opportunity to speak with people about my job. I've talked to those who I think should be doing what I am doing and who I think would love it. I talk about the struggles, the successes, the failures, the joys, the rewards, the impact, the freedom...I sell it. Why? Because after 5 years of doing what I'm doing, I finally believe that it's worth it. And so, I have a conversation with them to recruit them into the business.
However, it wasn't always like this. In fact, it has never been like this until now. For years I would try to help our office by attempting to recruit people, but I never could. I didn't know what the problem was so I assumed that wasn't my gift. That other people were built with the necessary skills or personalities to recruit, but not me. The real problem was that I wasn't sold on it yet myself. For all of my effort and desire, I couldn't communicate to others any reason to do what I was doing because I hadn't experienced the benefit yet. That has now changed.
I'm finally at the point in my business that they talk about when you begin: the 5th year. Up until this point, it is survival mode and you're just trying to keep your feet under you as you build a client base making no money, getting told no every day from strangers and friends alike, and living a life of rejection. Then, you wake up and you're in the 5th year, and although you're not rolling in the dough, business has become much easier. You're not worried about going into debt, or having enough to pay the bills, or what this guy will say when you pick up the phone. It's good. And you know it's good because you experience it...
All of my life I've had a hard time recruiting Christians. In fact, I've never been able to do it. And like recruiting, I've played it off. "I'm not the evangelical type. I don't evangelize because I'm not gifted in that."
I am saddened to say...I think the reason I've failed miserably to share my faith with others is because I don't yet fully believe myself. I haven't experienced the joy of our faith enough to want to invite everyone to join in. Oh Jesus, what now?
Because I have been a Christian for a long time, and still have no idea what it means to live a life of faith and follow Christ right now.
I love how open and honest your blog posts are. You don't pretend to be somebody that you're not.
ReplyDeleteComing to and fully accepting your faith is much more difficult than seeing progress in the business world, where results are easily calculated and tangible.
And even though you might not fully recognize it (because we are often our hardest critics), you are doing a great job of living a good life and being a role model for others.