Arching oak trees line the street as white picket fences stand sentry in front of the shuttered bungalows. Two streets over a lonely dog barks at the back door wanting inside. The chug of the truck is heard in the early morning light as the faithful milkman makes his deliveries. Brakes squeal as he halts in front of your house. Through the gloomy dawn he walks up to your door, bringing the anticipated refreshment. As his foot touches the step, he halts, realizing he has come from the dairy with only one bottle of milk. You ordered three bottles and a pint of cream; your order won’t be fulfilled. His truck & carrier are empty.
Most of us are too young to recall the idyllic days of milkmen and house calls by doctors, yet all were part of my grandfather's day. You would have called my grandfather colorful...a man of many quips, most of which I can't publish. A self-made man (with help from my grandmother), the majority of his life was spent in some aspect of the automotive industry. From a parts salesman to a Texaco Star gas station owner he worked hard and created a reputation as an astute business man. Many of his sayings continue to echo in my ears, this was one of my favorite:
You Can't Sell From an Empty Truck
Being a business owner my grandfather ran his business with this understanding, he had the best product in town, gave the best service and everyone needed what he had to offer.
A few weeks ago I fell into a conversation about witnessing. I'm not one to corner people to share my faith. I'd rather live my life in such a manner that those around me see I've got something they need; reminiscent of my grandfather's business practice. As we discussed ways to participate in outreach I shared my grandfather's adage of the empty truck -- I don't think they understood the correlation.
Being a Christian is like being a small business owner -- you have something that someone else needs.
Being a Christian is like being a successful salesman – you fully believe your product is the best option, you are intimately acquainted with your product and you have plenty of product on hand.
Being a Christian is like being the spokesperson for an ad campaign – you need to be using the product you’re hocking, making a marked improvement in your life.
Being a Christian is like being a satisfied customer -- the product is such a blessing in your life that its merits and benefits ooze out of every pore, at every opportunity, without even trying, to whoever is around.
Like the milkman of days gone by, I want my truck to be full of product so I can meet the needs of my customers.
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