Today we tidied a small part of the office – but a very vital one…
In the small business we run, we often post items out all over Australia and the world. We have a variety of accounts with different freight companies and there are a large number variables in the method – but one thing is constant:
Every single order gets a tract, message, book or gift as we feel is appropriate – what we feel God wants for that person.
Sometimes, just sometimes, we put an item or gift in the package that is worth more than the total price of the order. We make bad business decisions.
This is because we take the words of the Bible seriously and trust that God can provide for us.
“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.
(Matthew 6:24 NLTSB)
and:
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
* “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today
(Matthew 6:33-34 NLTSB)
There is more warning in the Bible about money than nearly anything else – it is clearly something that can take our attention, time, devotion and ultimately our life. This can have a huge affect on our lives and the lives of those around us (especially our children). As I wrote this, my thoughts wandered to a new topic of vital importance for parents. I wrote it to myself – but you can read it under the blog titled “Are we raising children, a house or an income?”
He’re how this works for us:
The children often have the opportunity to earn some extra money by doing postage (or BAS entry for the older ones). There are some very common sellers like the EcoTanka® water bottles (www.safewaterbottles.com.au) that they are well rehearsed at sending. As part of the normal process for sending an item there is:
– Packaging
– Promotion
– Presence
Packaging – we try to recycle everything we can and make sure all items are packaged safely. Depending on the method of transport there is a different system – but ultimately the item needs to be put in the right place, addressed correctly, packaged safely.
Promotion – we have a variety of leaflets and samples that we give away depending on the order and customer.
Presence – what does God want us to do for this person?
This is mostly a tract. We have a variety of around 100 different tracts (some designed by us – most by other people) and the children know to just ask God & be led as to which one to supply to which parcel. Most of them are simple business cards dealing with salvation. But we also have a large stock pile of Bibles, books, DVDs and more to draw from if we feel led.
As people who regularly buy and sell items and attend many garagesales – we negotiate and bargain with people a LOT! But at times we give more than we have saved if we sense this is what God wants.
For instance:
Recently Sharmini had sold something on one of the homeschool forums and time came to send it. Some of these materials cost a lot and we have spent large sums trying to get the right resources legally to teach the children. Trying to get back some of what has been spent is hard so posting an item that is not part of the business is hard and can cost more than the item is worth.
Anyway when I came to package this item, I sensed God wanted me to give a book. It was a book aimed at Christians for evangelism which we sell – but it is not cheap and I didn’t even know this person was saved…but I went with what I thought God wanted.
A week or so later Sharmini asked me if I had put an extra book in there & what book it was…why?
The lady had emailed her back saying she had been looking & praying for a book to help her be more vocal and effective at sharing her faith. Is this co-incidence? I can tell you honestly from the thousands of items we send out each year I don’t recall ever giving this book to anyone and haven’t since.
To give out a higher priced item we need to be sure it is God: experience has taught us what the Bible said long ago. If people don’t have a reason to read the book / Bible – then they won’t. We gave out hundreds (maybe thousands) of Bibles before discovering this. Now we use tracts unless God prompts us otherwise or a person is at a point where they really are hungry for what God wants to speak to them.