There is nothing like when being a kid chosen first for your kickball
team. To be needed, to be depended on, to have a reputation for winning. Such
was the feeling when I was recruited away from a company I worked for, they were
looking to advance into auto and motorcycle small parts, and when asking around,
my name came up. I must say it was different than past phone calls of what can
I do for them, they wanted to do for me. So I changed companies, to Bowman
Distribution, the leader in their field. Part of a Fortune 500 family owed
business established in 1852, I was welcomed in. The company was referred to as
Ma Bowman, and Ma took care of her own. The monthly newsletter would show
anniversary dates of employees, and many were in the 20-30 year range, some in
the 40-50 year range and even some over 50 years. 50 years with the same
company! In California the average person changes jobs ever four years, I many
never have to interview again. And they had invited, recruited me!
For the first few years I grew, winning all the awards I qualified for. I
liked working and going to work, and met many through off road racing and
NASCAR, as Bowman was a major sponsor. But Ma was getting old, and reached out
for new ways, and soon Take to Market, or TTM as it would be referred to was
instituted. A line of qualification was established, and if you didn’t meet it,
you were let go, no matter how many years of service or success you had. I was
kept on, and grew again, but the damage was done, and the reputation of Ma was
tarnished. A new pay plan came with it, where over achieving wasn’t rewarded,
but underachieving was, to make it fair for all. A far cry from where I had
been taught, “if you want a raise, go sell more.” But even within the
management, new faces began to appear. They were reassigned, a polite word for
firing, and no one wanted to come in and take their jobs. One guy hired for
National Sales Manager left at lunch, and never came back. With the dip in
sales, and the dip in attitude, Ma was on life support, and where she used to
give support, now she needed it, and none was offered. I hung on through
numerous managers, but one day had it and never went back, I let them fire me.
But the worst treatment I saw was to a new boss I had from Arkansas.
Transferred to our So Cal area, he had been the top producer in his southern
states, and when he couldn’t here, they let him go. After 30 years, one visit
to his boss’s office ended it all. We called him Cowboy, and Cowboy was all
about people, all about his guys, and the profits always came. Now it was all
about either hit your numbers or you were gone. And so he was, left to be a
stranger in a strange land, after a less than a year to repair ship that was
sinking so fast it should be scuttled, he went down before the ship.
It has been 20 years since Ma and I split ways, she stayed strong by
acquisition, growing the business by buying up competitors. Not even listed
anymore on the internet....For a while some years back I was invited to join
other churches. They wanted to grow, but were going about it by robbing people
from other churches. Not a true growth, just a reassignment of saints, while
one bragged on its increasing numbers, one moaned about its decreasing ones. As
if a competition, the one who has the most wins. They just forgot about Jesus,
and went with popular social movements at the time. Introducing sin among their
members to keep up the numbers, and finances, they got desperate, and today many
are on life support, if still around at all. Like Ma Bowman they decided to
change with the times, to become stylish and trendy, to put policies above
people, and feelings above the gospel, and the truth. Where once they had stood
out from the world, now they had invited the world in, shut and locked the door
behind it, and didn’t want it to leave. Policies, programs, and procedures have
replaced the gospel, and a church I used to attend even suspends all Bible
studies and extra events from Thanksgiving till after New Year, they are too
busy. A time when many hurt most, when they need fellowship and reassurance,
the doors are locked. The latest email I got was no Bible study today,
Thursday, because of Veterans’ Day. Which is on Saturday, and they are closed
anyway. No wonder Jesus stands at the door knocking. Know any vets who need
some comfort.....Fortunately Jesus never takes a holiday off.
When God established the church to be the pillar of truth to show the world
the love of Jesus, he recorded it in Timothy. The church is to support the
truth of Jesus Christ, not adapt it to social trends. It is to be a strong
pillar in the world, built upon the rock of Jesus Christ. The wise man built
his house upon the rock, as we sing. God provided the church with a uniqueness
of having insight, to have access to the secrets hidden from the world via his
spirit. So that we can function as he wants us to. They are not found in
secular writings or gatherings, but he places importance for them in his
saints. Us. We are to be ambassadors of Christ, not a sound bite of the
world. So when I minister, we don’t close for the holidays, but do what we can
to make them special. Last week while the world celebrated Halloween, we
gathered and had a great time in the Lord. Close your doors and your heart,
people will find someone who will accept them. You may be the problem. Yet I
see churches closing or changing schedules to accommodate the dates. We are
called to shed light on the confusion of the world, which can get really
confused at Christmas and Thanksgiving. And when Jesus is the light, people are
drawn to him, and we go to work. While the world looks for salvation in the
things of man, God has set us up to take his gospel to the lost and hurting.
Everyday, not just Sundays, or closed for the holiday. Moral recovery has
always started form churches, when the congregation, inspired by the holy spirit
came alive and moved. God has chosen us to work through, the harvest is
plentiful, yet the workers remain few. Inside and outside of church.
God sent the church out to make a difference. To be the pillar of truth and
love, not a political pulpit for social reform. Only when hearts change do
actions change. Do not be deceived, bad company corrupts good morals, and good
people. Has Jesus made a difference in your life? How will we know? Do we
know, do you? These things shall follow them that believe, we are the church.
A building is a poor substitute. Ma Bowman took care of her own, until they
thought they knew of a better way. If your church shows a better way than
Jesus, maybe you have found the problem. In all cases, Jesus is the answer.
Without him there’s no other....someday we all will be reassigned, it will
depend on your assignment now. If you know that knowing Jesus here on earth
even without the promise of heaven makes life worthwhile, you are onto
something. Heaven is just the forever place we get to rest. Open 24/7,
holidays included. And like being chosen first in kickball, there is nothing
like being chosen by Jesus. He chose us first....he didn’t take the day off,
even though he was born and died on holidays. Can we not at least keep our
hearts open to him everyday?
Imagine the difference in your life if when you called out he was closed?
Jesus never takes the day off. Too bad Ma did.
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com