About My Father’s Business

By Carol Harper

I recently had coffee with an associate of mine who, for a long time, had a desire to start her own business. She is a very smart, talented woman, and since the last time I had seen her (which had been a while), and she said that she had been praying about and exploring several different options. Since it had been a while, needless to say I was curious about what she had finally decided to do. “I’m really pumped up and excited about it!” and, as she ordered her latte and I ordered mine, I was quite impressed with her enthusiasm and thought, “Wow, it sounds like she found it!”

We sat down with our coffee drinks and, and as I smiled, sipped my coffee and gave her my “So!?” look, she eagerly announced she had recently attended a seminar and would be selling a line of make-up and skin care products. She proceeded to show me their latest catalog and brochures, even gave me a few samples to try. I listened, but it was difficult for me to not look disheartened as she went on about her “new business”.

Then the dreaded question: “So…what do you think?”

Moments like these call for a bit of regrouping, so I asked her a line of questions that I hoped would make her think a little bit about what she was getting into. By the end of our little Q & A, my message was pretty clear:

“Sweetie, this is not your business. It’s someone else’s.”

Now, though a bit over-priced, I have nothing against this skin care company; in fact, I like several of their products. The only way I’d know this is because I already knew about a dozen other women who were selling the same line of beauty products…and they all gave me samples, too! But I also know I can purchase these products online at discounted, auctioned-down prices.

I’ve always believed that a true friend would tell you if you had something hanging from your nose, or a toilet paper trail coming from your pants or skirt. My hope was that I wouldn’t deflate the enthusiasm of my friend, but as a concept development consultant, the first thing I require a client to do is to be brutally honest and realistic about whom they believe and think they are. The second thing I tell them is to be brutally honest about what it is they love to do, and/or versus what it is they actually do. The third and most important thing I ask them: Can you define the God-given purpose and gifts that make you the person you are? Though my friend’s zeal for her “new business” seemed genuine, somehow I just knew that her God-given purpose wasn’t to sell someone else’s skin care products.

One of my favorite scenes in the movie, “City Slickers”, is when Curly (Jack Palance) holds up his index finger and tells Mitch Robbins (Billy Crystal) that the meaning of life is “one thing”. When Mitch asks what that one thing is, Curly says, “That’s what you have to find out.” In my experience, you just cannot find that “one thing” unless you’re absolutely truthful about who you are at the very core. Not being honest with one’s own self only wastes a lot of valuable time, delays the inevitable and creates a prison of denial. But there is a freedom associated with the admittance of truth. Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."(John 8:31-32) Oh, what freedom is derived from truth!

With companies downsizing and laying off even long-time, loyal employees, businesses closing their doors, organizations folding, unemployment at an all time high…discouragement, fear and panic can cause one to lose focus in finding that “one thing”, and believe me, there are plenty of more distractions as well! Fortunately, the economic climate has also compelled many to come to grips with themselves about who they are and what they truly have to offer their community—thus, an entrepreneurial spirit and attitude has emerged that is making our local economies aware and appreciative of the strengths, gifts and talents of the one or the few.

Jesus knew his “one thing” at a very early age— discovered at the age of twelve, sitting in courts of the temple and associating with the teachers of the Law. Though rebuked by his mother, he knew that he was to “be about my Father’s business.” (Luke 2:49). Jesus’ life was not about his parents’ will, nor even about his own—but the Father’s will. Temptations could have distracted him; fear could have silenced him, certain people or situations could have discouraged him, even his own will and preferences could have prevented him from fulfilling the ultimate purpose of his life (Mark 14: 35-36). But the truth about his life, even its focus, was not about him, but was about being about his Father’s business.

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God^;trust also in me…

…I am the way, the truth, and the life.”

(John 14:1 & 6)

Temptations can, and often do, distract us. Fear often silences us. Certain people or situations can discourage us. Our own wills can be strong and stubborn. But if we could only spend more time finding and focusing upon the core truths about ourselves, our purpose and gifts will be revealed to us, and we will know that “one thing” – or two or five (Matt. 25:14-30) - given by the One who knows us better than we know ourselves.