Who You Know....

Sometimes we hear a person say, most often after a challenging time with even the smallest bureaucracy, "Well, it's who you know that makes all the difference."  The conversation will continue similar to: "The new employee didn't know me, and couldn't understand what I was trying to do, which was always simple before."   The suggestion is, if you have enough "pull" or "influence", or happen to have a "friend on the inside," things can go much better for you in negotiating anything.  There's a country song with lyrics: "I've got friends in low places!"  Most of the time, we want friends in HIGH places.

What I discovered in the business world, and even in many settings, it's not so much "who you know," as it is "WHO knows YOU."  When you visit a business where the owner knows you personally, or at least a high level manager/supervisor, things are going to go SO much better in your exchange.  Just the fact that I'm aware of someone's position earns me little.  But when an upper level employee or business owner knows you, often the "protocol" and "best business practices" are completely ignored as that person takes care of your need or request.

Very similar to me is our relationship with the Lord.  Many claim to know Him... yet He warned in John that many would claim to know Him, but He would not know or acknowledge them in the final days.  It's knowing that HE KNOWS ME that is the great comfort, and "the door opener" for us.  Knowing that you are KNOWN to HIM is the greatest comfort in this world, whether we ever see any particular 'benefits' or 'favors" in the lifetime!

Our Freedom

As you and I celebrate the 4th of July, and freedom of worship, I thought of an email I received from Voice of the Martyrs. (www.persecution.com) Voice of the Martyrs (from our friends dcTalk) monitors world wide assaults on Christians. You need to know how badly some of our brothers and sisters have daily life in other countries.

At the website, you can subscribe to email newsletters, and follow them on twitter. Through twitter on my cell phone, I get several prayer requests per day from them, based on events around the world.

If you ever plan to work for the Lord, this is a great time to do it! Read what Paul said to Timothy in I Timothy 4...."This is why we've thrown ourselves into this venture so totally. We're banking on the living God, Savior of all men and women...Get the word out." (MSG - emphasis mine)