After she dropped the Cheeto, she looked down right at it and then looked around as if looking to see if anyone saw her drop the Cheeto, then proceeded to walk away like nothing happened leaving it on the floor.
As I sat there and watched this play out I was wondering if she was going to pick it up? It would have taken less than a second to reach down and pick it up. That got me thinking, why do people do what they do? Did she think it was cool to just leave it there? Did she give any concern that someone else would have to pick up her mess? If she didn't know she dropped it, okay. If she was handicapped and was physically unable to pick it up no problem.
I don't know why this Cheeto thing has bothered me so much, I just can't get over it, why didn't she just pick up the Cheeto? If she dropped it at home, would she have picked it up? If she thought someone saw her drop it would she have picked it up? Who knows. It's funny because one of the biggest qualities that I look for in business leaders is that they are willing to get their hands dirty and lead by example.One of the tactics that I still use as I travel across the country and visit business leaders is I will drop a piece of paper and a pen when no one is looking and just walk away and come back and see if it is still there. As a matter of fact just a month ago, I did it in my office and I sat in the sales room and made a few calls and I watched two highly compensated sales business leaders walk right over that piece of paper and not bother to pick it up.
As I see it there are only 4 reasons why people don't pick up that piece of paper:
- Attitude.You don't want to pick it up. (laziness, Its not your job, you don't care)
- Oblivious.You don't see the piece of paper (you don't pay attention to detail-you miss small things-a killer in the business world)
- Distraction. Unable to multi-task.You see the paper but your phone rings and you answer and forget about it or someone walks by and strikes up a conversation and you never get around to it.
- You physically can't bend down to pick it up.
I have expereinced a tremendous amount of success in business over the last 20 years. I have been studying and reading people for a long time. What makes them tick, why they do what they do and here is my nugget of truth that I have found...
WORDS MEAN ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!
Most communication is nonverbal in nature- your words can tell lies but your body language and actions tells everything.
What do your actions say about you?
Here is what I know about people... "Everyone talks a good game", most people if you ask them will say "I am a Christan". herein lies the problem- these are just empty words unless they are accompanied by a life changing/transformational person who has truly accepted Jesus Christ into their heart as evidenced by the Fruit of the Spirit(love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness and self-control. True Christ like character is what we do and how we live our lives when we think no one is looking or watching. Here's the thing, when you a Christian you are always being being watched. God is watching as well as the enemy of our soul whom the Bible describes perfectly in 1 Peter 5:8 "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."
He prowls around and just looks for the open door of sin and rebellion into our lives, to gain a foothold. Unfortunately, these days he doesn't have to look to hard to find it-and that's just in church on Sundays. I grow quite weary of all the so called Christians who try to wear their religion like a merit badge yet act no differently than the rest of the world. At least the rest of the world doesn't profess one thing but live another. The Bible refers to these people as "double minded men, unstable in all of their ways".
Here is a real life example... about 8 years ago, I had a gate that needed repaired and I contracted with a local handyman who came to the house, gave me an estimate, told me his whole story had 11 children lived a few neighborhoods down from me and loved Jesus with his whole heart, he had the Cross conveniently displayed on his van and business cards.
He asked me for $125 deposit for materials, I was a bit reluctant as I did not know this man, but thought, he is Christan- no worries. That day was the last day I ever saw him or heard from him again. After about a week, I called the number on the business card and the number was disconnected, so I tracked him down on the Internet, got his home phone number and called his house. A man answered and said "oh, Jimmy hasn't forgotten about you he's really busy", not too busy to cash my check the same day he received it. Another two weeks went by and nothing, I attempted to call several more times but to no avail. Eight years later and still out my $125, but at least he loved Jesus!
Over my many years in business I have hired countless self-professing Christan's who I or someone on my team has had to fire for excessive absenteeism, dishonesty, stealing and a litany of other reasons. My personal favorite is when you interview them they list Sunday School teacher in the Volunteer section of their resume and then just stop showing up for work or quit without any notice. But hey, at least they love Jesus, right?
It is not up to me to judge whether these people are Christan or not, but these people are everywhere, it is downright scary how many of these people are out there. I am sure at somepoint they know they are are dishonoring God but I think the more they sin, the longer they go that still small voice is tougher and tougher to hear to hear abd before they know it their sin has seperated them from the God they once served. The Bible refers to this as the Great Apostacy- we are living it right now! The turning away of Biblical Principles and from serving God to serving self!
What is going on in this country? A good time to add this- There are many God fearing, genuine Christians who do love Jesus and live lives devoted to him-they are both the salt and light of this world. We are not talking about them today.
Something is majorly wrong here folks! You don't get to claim "Jesus" and live any life you want to live and do whatever you want.You cant go watch Internet porn, get drunk, cheat on your old lady, lie on your taxes, steal time and inventory from your employer, not tithe, deliver inferior products and services to your customers, gossip and slander the people you sat next to in Church last week.! Loving Jesus means you subscribe to a biblical worldview and you use the Bible as your guide in how you live and treat other people. It also causes us to live that Biblical character that Jesus and his disciples modeled for us in the Bible. That is not an easy life, it takes patience, sacrifice and accountability.
Here is my take: Matthew, Chapter 7
5Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 17Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
21Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Two things are at work here, The bible basically says many people will SAY they are Christians but it instructs us and gives us guidance on how to tell the difference..."By their Fruit" otherwise know as Their words, actions, their giving, etc.
The second thing at play is the deception on behalf of those people who actually think they are in the right relationship with God-but Matthew is very clear in verse 21-"They call me Lord- They think they know me" But those are just words and words without actions/faith mean nothing. I will throw them out as I never knew them. WOW!
We are living in a dangerous time and we have people playing a dangerous game. You are either in or out! Your words/actions/motives/giving/work tells us all we need to know about what God you serve! You either serve Jesus or you serve Self. By your fruits we shall know you.
Here is what I love about God, If you have backslidden and not been living the life God has called you to, you can repent of your sin today and God will forgive and restore you. But you must turn away from your sin, God will help you, sin is a struggle for everyone.
How do we make a difference? We must first understand unlike the Cheeto lady we are always being watched. Everything that we do and say whether in public or private should bear fruit and witness to the Holy Spirit and the Word. We cannot overcome this world but Jesus already did. We must spend the time necessary to develop our relationship with Jesus every day through prayer and word study. If we aren't on top of our spiritual game there is no way we can help others. This requires turning off the cell phone or TV or whatever 25 things that clamor for our attention and get alone with the lord! This has to happen daily, without it we don't have a chance.
We must be givers of our time/prayers/money on a daily basis to those people whom God has placed in our lives. We must be willing to confront Sin in a Godly, loving way and refuse to allow anything or anyone to take the place of God in our lives.
Life as a Christian is a daily battle. We only lose if we quit. You have people in your life today, that are deceived, fooling themselves into thinking they are in a right relationship with Jesus, but they are not. Their fruit and actions say otherwise. Do you love them enough to speak up?
We are called to model Godly living to those around us. People need to see the Jesus we serve in our words/motivations/language/giving/work ethic/ the way we treat others. We live to glorify our lord and to be his voice in this world.
We are running out of time to be difference makers in peoples lives, every day is one day closer to eternity, what are you waiting on? Strive to be a Needle Mover for Jesus today!
I challenge you to find one person and make a difference today!
