A WORD FROM A B4T COACH

Occasionally God challenges foundational beliefs that I hold. I’m sharing one of those instances below.

But first a little about me: I help people buy and sell businesses in the franchise industry. Typically, those interactions are 10% information sharing (me telling them things) and 90% soul searching (them discovering the best option – I try to help by asking questions). Also, for about 10 years I’ve been coaching OPEN workers.

In that role, I help workers organize their businesses and walk alongside them as they make decisions about the business they are running. I pray with my clients and often feel like they are part of my family. I utilize my experience, schooling and brain to provide guidance and advice, often to help avoid the mistakes that I have learned over my career. I help my clients make the “best” decisions possible, but I wonder, should I?

Hebrews 11 contains a list of “Heroes of the Faith” who did things that made no logical, financial or analytical sense. Building a boat over decades when literally every other human on earth was saying how stupid it was does not fall into the Proverbs 15:22 “wise counsel/many advisers” category. There are several additional examples in Hebrews 11.

Since this revelation, I have had a hard time finding a God given directive that aligns with something a pile of consultants or a think-tank would have come up with. Can you imagine a travel agent advising us to stay in the wilderness without food because “bread is likely to show up each morning on the ground?” Would your church elders book rooms for you in Rahab’s brothel for a vision trip?

Truly, His ways are far above our ways! As a coach, what do I do with this new understanding? Is my analytical approach creating more risk or just making outcomes more un-heavenly? I am recalibrating my coaching. I think I would better serve my B4T clients by helping them to hear Jesus’ voice and to wholly live in the Spirit.

May God help me (and all of us) to listen to Him better, so we all may both know and serve Him better.

OPEN USA supports workers in the 10/40 Window, who are doing Business for Transformation. One of those services is business coaching. To learn more about OPEN USA and B4T coaching, visit openusa.net/new-get-involved-coaches.