Stoop To ConquerSample

Facing a Fiasco

The fundraiser seemed headed for a failure somewhere in the middle of its trajectory! A month into the execution and only two sponsors were willing to go with us. Much worse, not a single ticket was sold. The amounts sponsored did not cover even a tenth of the cost. This was poised to be a debacle!

I prayed and felt compelled to go back to those who refused to support with complimentary tickets and a professional invite. Yes, to the very ones who sneered this idea on my face! I went about, unashamedly executing this directive with a pleasant smile, cringing in shame internally. The embarrassing smile of the marketing managers was countered by my effusive comments about how I thought that they still mattered to us even if they could not sponsor our fundraiser this time!

God’s idea seems a bit offbeat sometimes, but it is always a game-changer!

The fancy complimentary tickets and free passes salvaged my show by filling the theatre. Most importantly my act of co-operating with the Holy Spirit’s injunction helped me win the goodwill of most of the senior managers of a dozen companies!

Some two weeks later, we had to raise money for another massive campaign. I raised an unbelievable 25 lakhs from those who rejected our partnership for the previous fundraiser!

The shrewd act of honouring the ones who rejected my earlier appeal paid for in full! So much so, this was documented by the charity as an approach to follow in all the coming events with almost always positive results!

The counsel of the Lord is capable of compensating for the damages caused by our indiscretion and folly too! The Lord desires us, who are sons and daughters of light, to have the same shrewdness in dealing with the world as the sons of this age (Lk 16:8).

It only takes a willingness to admit we have messed up and act on the counsel to set it right, not an excessive self-flagellation that we are often prone to when we see ourselves make mistakes at work.

Prayer 

Lord, let me not be moved by my weakness, but by Your strength in my weakness and indiscretion. Amen