Jesus has an astonishing ability to create what he needed from something that was already there. He took what was at hand and used his command of energy and the universal principles - the same ones he said were available to us - and then created what he needed.
A Bible story that many of us might identify with is that of the staff member who tells Jesus that the group is in trouble because they have not paid their taxes yet. Jesus casually tells him to go down to the sea, and there he will find a fish with a coin in its mouth. "Use that to pay the tax," he said.
Another time Jesus told his staff to go to a certain location where they would find a donkey. He instructed them to tell the people that the master needed it and to bring the donkey to him. Yet another time he made one loaf of bread feed thousands.
Perhaps part of Jesus creative ability came from his deep understanding of the physics of faith and from his keen awareness of the resources that he did have. Jesus himself did not just appear in a cloud of cosmic dust. He came into the world through the body of a believing human being - Mary. God, too is aware of his resources.
I often ask my clients to make a list of their resources and I remind them that money is the least important one. It takes people some time to appreciate that their greatest resources are often the people they know. Joe Girard, in his book The Greatest Salesman of All Time, claims that he pictures the number 250 engraved on each person he meets. He says each person knows at least 250 other people he needs to know - people who could become his friend and customers, too.
It is important to take the time to know your people. Situations will come up where their many skills or talents or friends or relatives will prove invaluable. If you think of your pocketbook as your only resource, you constantly will be thumbing through the Yellow Pages instead of relying on someone you know. And contra wise, they know YOU...and your opportunity to return the favor will present itself!
A young physician started his practice, hoping to market his sports medicine skills. He spent thousands of dollars advertising in newspaper week after week with very little result. One day as he was bemoaning his lack of business to his receptionist, she casually said, "My husband is president of a local jogging club. Why don't you do a seminar for them next week?" That was just what he was looking for: one human being, close at hand, with the resources he needed. Soon his practice was filled with people who knew someone whom he knew.
Jesus was keenly aware of his resources!
1. How aware are you of your resources?
2. How many of your staff members "250 contacts" do you know?
3. How frequently do you undate and review all the resources in your Rolodex?
Look around at the resources God has placed at your fingertips!
Scott Carley
(Jesus, CEO- Laurie Beth Jones)
