Memo to our employees...

Christian Supply…impacting life
Thoughts from the desk of Gunnar Simonsen

Impacting life…you may have noticed recently that we have made a slight revision to our company logo. What you now read is the statement…”Impacting Life.”

But what does this mean or what does this look like? The word impact could either be used in the context of good or bad.

Bad in the context of a meteorite impacting the planet, the impact of two vehicles in an accident, the impact steroid usage will have on baseball, the impact of another corporate scandal on the stock market, or sadly still from our realm…the impact of bad customer service.

We’ve all been there…the restaurant where we can’t seem to get the time of day from the server, or better yet, the bookstore I once visited where I walked right up to the counter and was within 2 feet of the associate and not once did he look up and acknowledge me. Apparently in that case, he was too busy playing on the internet at the cash wrap to notice me.

In some cases, it was not in what they did, but in what they didn’t do. While with others, it wasn’t really about what they said, but how they said it. Body language, tone of voice, lack of eye contact, posture in which they stood, all of which can scream, “YOU ARE NOT IMPORTANT!”

Other cases find us on the outside looking in as a group of sales associates cluster together laughing it up and having a great time as we the customer scramble to be noticed and get some help.

Have you ever found yourself in this position as a customer?

All of which made a bad impression, left a bad taste in our mouth, or simply put…had a negative impact on us.

But when we at Christian Supply say, “Impacting Life” what do we mean? What does that look like? What’s in the name? Who’s in the name?

At the very core of impacting life, I believe we will find the following when placed in the context of who’s in the name…

“We love each other as a result of His loving us first.” - 1 John 4:19

“God showed how much He loved us by sending His only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him. This is real love. It is not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.” - 1 John 4:9-10

Was there no greater impact on this world but when the final words were spoken…

“It is finished.”

It was at that point in time that life as we knew it changed forever. And it was at that point of impact on our very own hearts that our lives would be changed forever.

It is true…the stone has rolled away!

However, I realize that we are only mere humans and that sometimes we have bad days. The car broke down on the way to work, ate a bad taco and couldn’t sleep last night, had an argument with a friend or spouse, bills are due with no way to pay them, life happens.

Life happens and yet, we have to go to work and impact life…how?

“As soon as Jesus heard the news, [the death of John the Baptist] He went off by Himself in a boat to a remote area to be alone. But the crowds heard where He was headed and followed by land from many villages. A vast crowd was there as He stepped from the boat, and He had compassion on them and healed their sick.” - Matthew 14:13-14

The funny thing is that impacting life is not just about who we are at work, but who we are period. It’s not about putting on and taking off a hat that reads, “Impacting Life.”

In this case, Jesus just wanted to get away. I’m sure it was quite emotional for Him with learning that John the Baptist was killed. Yet still, when He stepped off that boat, He had compassion on the people. Perhaps, someone the likes of you or I was in that crowd? Perhaps, it was us that were on the other side of that compassion. What love He showed for you and I? And all the while, He went to be alone and yet He put His needs aside and replaced them with our needs and had compassion on us…all of which screams, “YOU ARE IMPORTANT!”

What if that server from the restaurant gave us the time of day? What if that associate stopped what he was doing and looked up and acknowledged me?

What if…

“For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.” – Matthew 25:35-36

…and yet…

“If I could speak in any language in heaven or on earth but didn’t love others, I would only be making meaningless noise like a loud gong or a clanging symbol.”
- 1 Corinthians 13:1

“We love each other as a result of His loving us first.” - 1 John 4:19

I don’t know about you, but I want to walk daily in His love, I want to be impacted daily by His love that I might impact others with His love. I don’t want to be a loud gong or a clanging symbol. No offense to marching bands.

With this, it is also important to note that this is not about the act of good works for we are saved by grace and not by works, but that of a heart changed and impacted by the love of Christ and the result of this impact causing a ripple effect that will impact the lives of others through us.

In other words…good works as a result of this real love we now find inside our hearts and not good works to attain this real love we may not find inside our hearts.

When fully realized, this love is an unstoppable force. …A force that can stop people in their tracks, a force that can change the course of life as we know it.

At Christian Supply, let’s together seek to unleash this unstoppable force by seeking daily to impact life by impacting hearts with products and service that consistently reflects our life in Christ Jesus.

Let’s together seek daily to step out of that boat and have compassion on each other and others. May our lives seek to be a reflection of His love for us and in us. Because, I don’t know about you, but if left to myself, it would be just that, about myself and not that of others. Oh how we need Him every day.

What does this look like?

Greeting, Acknowledging, Serving, Listening, Thanking…

What would you add to this list?

And who shall we greet, acknowledge, serve, listen, and thank?

Customer, UPS driver, Postal worker, Each other, Restaurant Server, Family, Friends, The Hungry, The Thirsty, The Stranger, The Naked, The Sick, The Prisoner…

Why?

“We love each other as a result of His loving us first.” - 1 John 4:19

But, can this culture actually exist within a business?

At Christian Supply, it is true…we are a business and need to function as a business. It is crucial that we are good stewards of that in which we are entrusted. We should always seek to work towards being a profitable company. We have been given a lot that has afforded us all the opportunity to come and do what we do each day. A fair return on this investment is a fair expectation.

With this, many times I am asked by employees about how are we doing as a business and what can they do to help meet our objectives? My response…

Impact hearts with products and service that consistently reflect our life in Christ Jesus…therefore, go and impact life.

To be a profitable business is a great thing, to see the value of people and make an impact on them with the love of Christ because He first loved us…priceless.

It can be done. They can co-exist. It starts with you and me, but it is not about you and me. And it is not just about developing a culture within a business either; it’s about “developing” this culture within our hearts 24/7 and not just 20-40 hours per week at work. This is life…this is real love unleashed and unstoppable and He is the developer.

At Christian Supply…we are about impacting life. Will you join me?

Please feel free to post your comments. I can be reached at: gunsim@msn.com