Thinking Out Loud, Volume CCCXXXIII

I'm a salesman. That's what I do for a living. In my industry, I'm what's known as a multi-line rep, which means that I'm a self employed contractor who sells merchandise for several different companies. Too many times in my career, I've seen instances where the salesman will successfully promote his product until it gets to the point where this formerly unheard of brand becomes a household name, and then the company will feel that their product is so popular that the salesman who built it up is no longer needed. I'm speaking not only from personal experience, but also from what I've heard from some of my cohorts. That has forced me, and men and women like me, to change our tactics when we're pushing our products. My new method of salesmanship is to sell the customer on me, with the product being secondary. Believe it or not, that plan works. I've actually had companies, who have felt that they could sell just as much product without me working the field, call me up and admit that they had no idea how loyal my customers are to me, and ask me to come back. Sometimes I go out on a limb and do favors for my clients, and when I do, I always make sure they know it was me doing it for them, not the company. That's how I operate in the business world, but I have to confess that I sometimes find it difficult to separate my business life from my personal life. What that means is sometimes I will try to do a personal favor for a friend, or maybe even for a stranger, and then toot my own horn so that the world will be aware of just what a nice guy I am, although I'm acting like a politician. According to the way I've been taught, if I do that and receive personal recognition as a result, that recognition is all the reward I will ever receive for my acts of kindness. But more than that, it's a character issue. It means I've acted selfishly. Although I was helping someone in need, I was doing it for my own glorification. Sure, the person I helped still benefits, but I've done myself a disservice, and I'm letting the world know just how shallow my character actually is. When I go to church, it's okay for others to see me worship or hear me pray, as long as I do the same thing when there's no one else around but God and me....and as long as I'm not doing it just to put on a show. If I'm asked to sing, play an instrument, teach, etc., I can only perform those activities in view of other people, so the real issue comes down to motive. Sometimes I do all those things I just mentioned, and when I do, I believe in giving it all I've got, so as a result, at least one time that I heard about, I've been accused of being a showman. It hurt my feelings, but it also made me stop to take inventory of my motives, just to make sure that I'm not simply trying to bring attention to myself. The real test comes when there's an opportunity to give of myself, and share my blessings when no one else will ever know anything about it. I've heard it said that the difference between reputation and character is my reputation is what others think I am, and my character is what I really am. Whether or not any of us want to admit it, we are concerned about our reputation, but how much effort do we put on character? I've come up with a plan that I firmly believe will settle the issue once and for all. Even though it's important that my fellow man has a good opinion of me, I need to quit worrying about my reputation. Instead, I should place all my emphasis on becoming a man of honorable character. If I'm a man of character, a good reputation will automatically follow. It doesn't work the other way around. Preston

Thinking Out Loud, Volume CCCXXXII

Dad made a mistake. I'm not being critical...I'm here to defend him. As a matter of fact, he's the one who told me he had messed up. For a little better perspective, let me give you some background details. Dad was born in 1917, which means if he was still living he would be ninety-five years old. Just like you and me, he witnessed a lot of changes in this world during his lifetime. As a young man, Dad purchased a 16mm movie camera which took high quality pictures, even by today's standards. As a result, he left a treasure trove of memories for my siblings and me, including videos of me being pushed in a stroller by my mother and my sister's first steps. He was employed by the railroad, so naturally trains held a special interest for him, but the trains he was accustomed to seeing were totally different from the type of locomotives that you and I have seen all our lives. In his day, steam engines were the norm. Then a new phenomenon hit the industry....big diesel engines....the kind you and I are accustomed to seeing today. When the first big diesel-powered train pulled in to the depot where he worked, he grabbed his movie camera, which in those days was never far from his side, and recorded it. What a moment that must have been!  I can remember so well as a child watching those old home movies as he described seeing that first big diesel engine, so we naturally asked, "Do you have any pictures of the old steam engines?" No, he didn't. It never occurred to him that some movies of the old things that were common to him may someday hold more value than the new inventions that so intrigued him at that time.  By the time he realized his error, it was too late. Even if I felt like being critical of his lack of foresight, I don't think I have any grounds to criticize him. Can you put put yourself in his shoes and think that you would've acted differently?  What kinds of pictures and videos are you recording today that capture images of old technology that will soon disappear...things your kids and grandkids will someday want to learn about?  How many pictures have you taken of records playing on the record player? Did you record any of the old forty-fives with the wider hole in the center that had to be played with the use of an adapter?  Do you still have any pictures of your old 8-track tape player? What about regular light bulbs, land line telephones, dollar bills, gasoline powered automobiles, lap top computers, wire-rimmed notebooks, riding mowers with steering wheels, etc.?  All those things, as well as countless other items that we now take for granted are likely to soon disappear. Who would have ever thought that typewriters would become a thing of the past? As much as I would love to see some old home movies of my dad working around an old steam engine, I can't be mad at him for never filming it. I have a camera. Why am I not capturing images of my family using products that will be gone tomorrow? To be honest, Dad did a better job of that than I've done. Preston

Thinking Out Loud, Volume CCCXXXI

I've heard it said that "all people are created equal, but some are more equal than others."  I guess it all depends on the perspective of the beholder. Do you view everyone as equals, with no regards to wealth, skin color, education, or family background? Do you ever wonder how you are viewed by others? I've seen studies that show where good-looking people have a better shot in life than than their less beautiful counterparts, as unfair as that may seem. If you're completely honest with yourself, do you have to admit that you act more favorably toward the more attractive, better dressed, maybe even younger members of society, especially those of the opposite sex? As I write this, I'm sitting in the busy waiting room of a doctor's office, and I have to admit that I tend to look more often and longer at the better dressed, more attractive visitors who come through here, but as I observe the the entire room, I notice that the majority of the people in here are just as guilty as I am. And to take it one step further, there's a game show on their television, and I find myself pulling for the better looking contestants. Am I, and the rest of the patrons in this waiting room, being totally unfair? What if the "beautiful people" put forth more effort on their appearance than the others? Doesn't that effort earn them a little more recognition? Does the person who jumped out of bed this morning at the last minute and threw on her clothes with no consideration as to how she looks have a right to be jealous of the attention being paid to the one who got up early enough to spend some time on her appearance?  What about the doctors who work in this office?  Don't they deserve a higher income after they worked so hard and sacrificed so much to get through medical school? Sometimes I find myself being nicer to the people who have been nicer to me.  Surely that's fair, huh?  If I'm in a position to do a special favor for someone today, isn't it logical for me to give it to the person with the smile on his face instead of the one with the sour attitude? As a young man, fresh out of college, I soon found myself in a management position, with the responsibility of hiring and firing employees. With a strong desire to be as compassionate as possible, and to also have a positive impact on society, I made up my mind to base hiring decisions to a great extent on the prospective employee's need for the job. My motives were pure, but my plan was a failure. I've been asked on occasion who was the best employee I ever hired, and every time, my mind goes immediately to a young lady named Nancy, the daughter of one of the wealthiest men in town.  As a matter of fact, her dad promised her if she would get a job, he would match what she earned, dollar for dollar, which meant she was actually making double the amount I was paying her.  I'm still grateful that I had the privilege of working with Nancy, but I would never have known her if that hiring decision had been based solely on "need." Sometimes I struggle with the issues I've just put forth, trying to find the proper balance between what people need and what they deserve. I understand that only God has the ability to look into a person's heart and mind to see their true intentions to know what they actually deserve, but as I try to pattern my life after Christ, I must keep in mind that some issues, such as beauty and financial position, are not as important to Him as they are to me.  I don't think God has a problem with beauty and wealth, which means that He won't withhold blessings from those who have it....but, neither will He favor them because of it. Trying to be "Christ-like" is not always as easy as it sounds, but I'm still working at it. He knows that, too. Preston

Thinking Out Loud, Volume CCCXXX

The auditorium at George Welch Elementary School was filled to capacity, with standing room only, as parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins and family friends gathered to watch as eighty-three  students marched down the aisle for the 2012 kindergarten graduation.  When the processional began, hundreds of cameras began flashing as proud family members began snapping photos of their favorite little graduates, and no one there could've been more proud than I was.  It was a noisy place as several hundred people all seemed to be talking at the same time, until my little grandson stepped to the microphone and said, "Let's all stand for the prayer and the pledge."  Maybe I'm bragging a little bit here, but he said the sweetest little prayer that actually brought tears to my eyes.  Yes, I was (and still am) proud, and I told him so.  My heart swelled just a little more when they began giving out awards and he was selected to receive the Sportsmanship Award.  But it was that last seemingly small recognition he received that touched me the most, although in the whole scheme of things, it came across as a relatively minor honor as he and a few other students were recognized for "Perfect Attendance."  I think the reason it affected me the way it did is because it confirmed to me that one of the life lessons that I tried to instill into my children was now being passed down to another generation...the lesson of dependability.    He was supposed to be there every day; he was expected to be there every day; and so he was.  I firmly believe that when habits of dependability and faithfulness are taught to our children, those same habits will stick with them throughout adulthood.  One of the greatest, most valuable character traits that any man can attain is the fact that he is "a man of his word."  How many people do you know who will tell you with the best of intentions, "You can depend on me," when we know from their past actions that what they promised may or may not happen.  That's because they allow other distractions to gain a higher priority than their word; then when they are forced to explain or offer excuses for their failure to keep their word, those same "high priority" distractions begin to appear somewhat lame.    None of us are exempt from occasional catastrophes that throw up a roadblock in the path of our good intentions, but to "a man of his word," those events are rare, and that's because of the importance he puts on his word and the value he places on being dependable.  One of the definitions of a Christian is someone who is "Christ-like," and Jesus Christ is the perfect example of "a man of his word."  Selah.  Pause and think about that.  What does your reputation say about you when it comes to faithfulness, reliability, and dependability?  Whatever it says, it can be changed, both for good and bad.  If it says good things about me, I can lose that if I don't remain diligent; and if says I'm undependable, I can change my ways and, with time, transform a faulty reputation into one of honor.    Have you ever wondered what epitaph will be placed on your tombstone?  I can think of no greater honor than if mine would say, "He was a man of his word."  I love the way a friend put it to me one day a while back when he was talking about a mutual friend, "If he said it, you can put it in the bank."   Preston