One Crucial Element

It seems that the phone rings at the strangest times. Every once in a while instead of working at my office, I'll stay at home where it's quiet and work from there, especially if I'm reading or writing and I need to concentrate. (like for sermon preparation) Yet it seems that when I'm home a telemarketer calls every time.

And they want me to do some of the oddest things like join a travel plan that will give me free trips to Las Vegas for weekends when I book week long vacation cruises in the Carribean. I mean, I do so much of both! (said with great sarcasm.) Or that I qualify for a reduced rate mortgage that can save me thousands of dollars in interest. (but I don't own the house.) Or there are replacement windows that can save on utility bills. (yet the house is only 8 years old.)

In almost every case, these telemarketers try to sell their products, but have no idea if it's something I need. It's called a cold call and it's usually based on some broad market research but it's cold because they don't know if there is a need before they call. I get a few "warm" calls, too, based upon my consumer behavior in the past, but I don't need school debt consolidation anymore, I don't need another car loan, I don't much of anything that can be sold over the phone. They're not paying attention.

I know that I could have gotten on the no-call list, but I didn't. That's not the point. The point is, if they want to provide me a real service, then discover first what I need. The truth is we can attempt to serve until the cows come home, but if that service is not meeting a need it's not a service at all. It's probably an annoyance; like the guys who wash your windows at stop lights and expect to get a tip. ("Here's your tip buddy, stop washing my windows, they were already clean!" No, I've never said that, but I've thought it before.) Service must meet someone elses' needs.

So how do we know what to do, where needs are, whom to serve? I believe it's really simple. Observe, ask and listen. We can learn a lot about people when we stop to observe them. We can make some assumptions about the way people live and act and look. But we cannot stop there, remember it's important not to judge a book by its cover. Some things are not always as they appear. So we also need to ask what others need and then really listen to what they have to say.

Jesus in all his wisdom and knowledge of people and circumstances did this. He sought their "felt"needs first. "What do you want from me?" he would ask, when he knew full well the answer. He didn't have to ask, he is God, but we are not gods so he gave us this example. And the real reason I believe is so that our service would not only be relevant, but also so that our interaction would create relationships.

Listening helps understanding. Understanding leads to caring. "Find a need, fill a need," Bigweld said. (From the Disney animated film, Robots) But that takes effort and discipline and love. Don't know what needs exist?

Ask!

Peace ><>
PC