Normally I start my day by reading Proverbs. There are 31 Proverbs in all and it makes the perfect daily devotional. So today is October 21 therefore Proverbs 21. Sorry if I am over simplifying.
Today, because I was piddling around I didn’t make myself enough time to read devotionally before I left for work so I didn’t pick up the Word until I went to lunch. The verses today just blow me away. There are so many that just jumped off of the page at me today. There are some that are pricking my conscience and then there are some that are just plain encouraging. I love it when I am having issues with someone or something and I pick up the Word and it speaks to my heart in such an intimate way that I know that God planned it that way. It is just way to perfect to be by chance.
I have copied today’s proverb below and highlighted some of the verses that have spoken to me in one way or another. I could write about each and every one ….but that would take forever. I would rather you do your own reading and ask our Heavenly Father to speak in a unique way just to you. Enjoy!
Proverbs 21 (New International Version)
1 The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD;
he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.
2 All a man's ways seem right to him,
but the LORD weighs the heart.
3 To do what is right and just
is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
4 Haughty eyes and a proud heart,
the lamp of the wicked, are sin!
5 The plans of the diligent lead to profit
as surely as haste leads to poverty.
6 A fortune made by a lying tongue
is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare.
7 The violence of the wicked will drag them away,
for they refuse to do what is right.
8 The way of the guilty is devious,
but the conduct of the innocent is upright.
9 Better to live on a corner of the roof
than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.
10 The wicked man craves evil;
his neighbor gets no mercy from him.
11 When a mocker is punished, the simple gain wisdom;
when a wise man is instructed, he gets knowledge.
12 The Righteous One takes note of the house of the wicked
and brings the wicked to ruin.
13 If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor,
he too will cry out and not be answered.
14 A gift given in secret soothes anger,
and a bribe concealed in the cloak pacifies great wrath.
15 When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous
but terror to evildoers.
16 A man who strays from the path of understanding
comes to rest in the company of the dead.
17 He who loves pleasure will become poor;
whoever loves wine and oil will never be rich.
18 The wicked become a ransom for the righteous,
and the unfaithful for the upright.
19 Better to live in a desert
than with a quarrelsome and ill-tempered wife.
20 In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil,
but a foolish man devours all he has.
21 He who pursues righteousness and love
finds life, prosperity and honor.
22 A wise man attacks the city of the mighty
and pulls down the stronghold in which they trust.
23 He who guards his mouth and his tongue
keeps himself from calamity.
24 The proud and arrogant man-"Mocker" is his name;
he behaves with overweening pride.
25 The sluggard's craving will be the death of him,
because his hands refuse to work.
26 All day long he craves for more,
but the righteous give without sparing.
27 The sacrifice of the wicked is detestable—
how much more so when brought with evil intent!
28 A false witness will perish,
and whoever listens to him will be destroyed forever.
29 A wicked man puts up a bold front,
but an upright man gives thought to his ways.
30 There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan
that can succeed against the LORD.
31 The horse is made ready for the day of battle,
but victory rests with the LORD.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
HAPPY CUSTOMER SERVICE WEEK…..
HAPPY CUSTOMER SERVICE WEEK…..
This week’s theme is "A Call To Excellence."
You may or may not be aware that this week is National Customer Service Week (October 5-9, 2009) This week is a national event devoted to recognizing the importance of customer service and recognizing the people in the industry. In 1988, the International Customer Service Association began honoring Customer Service Week during the first week of October. In 1992, the U.S. Congress proclaimed Customer Service Week a nationally recognized event.
During the week thousands of customer service reps in call centers and help desks across the country will celebrate Customer Service Week. Here at my company we get to do things like dress down for the week.. Every day is casual day. Our manager provides breakfast a couple of days, snacks and drinks, daily drawings for free stuff and a luncheon to celebrate what we do on a daily basis.
So what do we do and why would this become a topic for me to ponder on besides the fact that I am a member of the community of Customer Service individuals?
As I see it we help resolve unexpected “situations” and make people feel important. How do we do this? We “listen” to what our customers are telling us and then we ask “probing questions” to help clarify and identify what their exact need is. We then use the resources and tools available to us to implement a solution that will satisfy them and they will be “delighted” with our company and the service they have received from us.
Recently our Bible Fellowship teacher has been challenging the leaders of our small group to be “servant leaders” and it dawned on me that because of my profession; I already have the skills necessary to assist me in this endeavor. The words I have put into quotation marks in the proceeding paragraph are considered buzz words within my department and are very applicable to the concept of servant leadership and are a good jumping off point to explore one approach to being a servant leader.
One way to begin exhibiting servant leadership as a lifestyle is to listen to what people are saying when you talk to them. I mean really listen. People spill their guts without even meaning too, especially to someone who is really listening. Don’t ask the question “How are you doing today?” unless you are willing to take the time to hear their answer. The majority of the time the response will simply be “I’m fine, and you?” A nice and polite exchange of pleasantries. But more often than you realize you will run into people who have real needs and intense situations happening in their life that they will allude to when they answer that simple question. If you are listening and asking caring and careful probing questions you will find that they open up and confide in you.
So what to do after you know what the need is? Use the tools you have available to you to determine what can be done. The first tool and the most important on is prayer. Pray before anything. Ask God himself to lead you in the direction you should go. Don’t pass up the opportunity to personally serve this person. If you can’t help, do you know someone else who can? Why not introduce these two people to each other. The need is not necessarily a physical one. Do they need a friend? Be a friend and introduce them to others. Do they need a mentor. Is that mentor you or do you know the perfect person to step into that role? I am not talking about enabling bad behavior I am talking about helping someone with perhaps an emergency physical need and as well as spiritual ones. More importantly I am talking about being intimately involved in the lives of other people. Not as a busy body but as a friend. It seems to me that if everyone would pay attention to each other in this way we would have bunches of “delighted” people in our lives. I truly believe that God our Father has put out the “Call to Excellence”.
Remember the words of Paul…
9Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Galatians 6:9-11) - Italics mine
This week’s theme is "A Call To Excellence."
You may or may not be aware that this week is National Customer Service Week (October 5-9, 2009) This week is a national event devoted to recognizing the importance of customer service and recognizing the people in the industry. In 1988, the International Customer Service Association began honoring Customer Service Week during the first week of October. In 1992, the U.S. Congress proclaimed Customer Service Week a nationally recognized event.
During the week thousands of customer service reps in call centers and help desks across the country will celebrate Customer Service Week. Here at my company we get to do things like dress down for the week.. Every day is casual day. Our manager provides breakfast a couple of days, snacks and drinks, daily drawings for free stuff and a luncheon to celebrate what we do on a daily basis.
So what do we do and why would this become a topic for me to ponder on besides the fact that I am a member of the community of Customer Service individuals?
As I see it we help resolve unexpected “situations” and make people feel important. How do we do this? We “listen” to what our customers are telling us and then we ask “probing questions” to help clarify and identify what their exact need is. We then use the resources and tools available to us to implement a solution that will satisfy them and they will be “delighted” with our company and the service they have received from us.
Recently our Bible Fellowship teacher has been challenging the leaders of our small group to be “servant leaders” and it dawned on me that because of my profession; I already have the skills necessary to assist me in this endeavor. The words I have put into quotation marks in the proceeding paragraph are considered buzz words within my department and are very applicable to the concept of servant leadership and are a good jumping off point to explore one approach to being a servant leader.
One way to begin exhibiting servant leadership as a lifestyle is to listen to what people are saying when you talk to them. I mean really listen. People spill their guts without even meaning too, especially to someone who is really listening. Don’t ask the question “How are you doing today?” unless you are willing to take the time to hear their answer. The majority of the time the response will simply be “I’m fine, and you?” A nice and polite exchange of pleasantries. But more often than you realize you will run into people who have real needs and intense situations happening in their life that they will allude to when they answer that simple question. If you are listening and asking caring and careful probing questions you will find that they open up and confide in you.
So what to do after you know what the need is? Use the tools you have available to you to determine what can be done. The first tool and the most important on is prayer. Pray before anything. Ask God himself to lead you in the direction you should go. Don’t pass up the opportunity to personally serve this person. If you can’t help, do you know someone else who can? Why not introduce these two people to each other. The need is not necessarily a physical one. Do they need a friend? Be a friend and introduce them to others. Do they need a mentor. Is that mentor you or do you know the perfect person to step into that role? I am not talking about enabling bad behavior I am talking about helping someone with perhaps an emergency physical need and as well as spiritual ones. More importantly I am talking about being intimately involved in the lives of other people. Not as a busy body but as a friend. It seems to me that if everyone would pay attention to each other in this way we would have bunches of “delighted” people in our lives. I truly believe that God our Father has put out the “Call to Excellence”.
Remember the words of Paul…
9Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Galatians 6:9-11) - Italics mine
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