Possessing possessions can pose a perplexing proposition.

Live it
Early in my career, I started a metal fabrication business. I asked two of my best friends, who were as broke as me, to be partners. Our problem was that we were too "successful" for our own good. What I mean by that, is we had no problem selling profitable work, but we were top heavy in management and had difficulty getting credit to buy materials and pay our twenty to thirty employees. In other words, we were under-capitalized with limited resources to change our condition. We learned the hard way what it means to operate on the edge and one phone call away from financial collapse. As a means to increase our cash flow, we resorted to "factoring," or borrowing money against the face amount of invoices. That sounds good on the surface, until you realize you made a deal with the devil, risking what you own for the sake of adding to it. It wasn't until we lost that business that we learned how to do it right.

You may not know this, but here is a way for a business to survive without adding a shark in your fishbowl. You reduce your management team and rent your production tools until you can buy them outright. You perform only short term jobs without retainage and for credit-worthy companies, in effect doing do less work with higher margin. And I forgot one point, you perform the fabrication yourself. However, after a couple of years, my partner and I closed the business and went our separate ways, but this time because we elected to do so. Looking back, it's curious that today we have nothing to show for those years of indentured service to our job except memories. That raises an interesting question. What do you think you'll have left when you're done?

Pray it
Thank you for my day job that provides what my family needs, but even more for the kingdom work that provides what I need.

Resources
Sowing and reaping are staples of everyday life, not just religious life. (2001)
It's our total dependence upon God that makes us righteousness. (2003)
Knowing God's word is not nearly as important as putting it into practice. (2004)
A know-it-all is not just an oxymoron but more like the root of that word. (2005)
Why do e refuse to admit what God already knows? . (2006)
Don't offer to pull the cord to your guillotine. (2007)
We should remember those times God's presence was obvious. (2008)
Where does reputation come from? (2009)

1. One-minute Devotionals began on January 2, 2006 and are the original creation of James R. Green, Prayertower Webservant Content is derived from his alternating and sequential survey of both the Old and New Testament to offer insight on Scripture.
2. Resources are derived from daily devotions of James R. Green called, Just Thinkin'... (2000-2003), Read the Bible Thru in 365 Days (2004), Pray Thru the Word in 365 Days (2005) and One Minute Devotional (2006-2008).
3. Scripture: God's Word Translation (c)1995 by God's Word to the Nations. All Rights Reserved.

Copyright ©2010 James R. Green, Webservant - Prayertower Ministries
All Rights Reserved