Telemarketing Tactics

I had to just text my brother the other day, to tell him I was thinking about it. What prompted it? The car in front of me had a local area fire department baseball cap in the rear window. No, my brother is not a fireman. He did however, in the early years of his driving and perhaps early 20's, have a police department ball cap in his rear window. Thanks to the family member who served... you are immensely loved!

However, there was a time he almost sold it. I say "almost". My brother loves messing with telemarketers... if for no other reason than to keep them on the line, so they won't bother everyone else. He's even given them notice up front of his intentions! "I'm not buying anything; but you go ahead and make your case." In one particular instance; he turned his listening ability and attentiveness to peoples needs whereby he offers practical, well-formulated solutions in return, loose on the young man on the other end of the line.

He inquired, that the telemarketer sounded like a young guy. Perhaps one who had already had his share of speeding tickets. The "kid" acknowledge that he was; and had.  Even recently, if I recall. My brother proceeded to convince him, that if he had a law enforcement ball cap in the rear window, perhaps he wouldn't get so many tickets! Patrol personnel would think he was a fellow brother-in-blue or had ties to the law enforcement community and wouldn't bother pulling him over. Convinced this is what was missing in his life, the young man was pretty excited! And of course, my brother kept selling the idea this man had to have this, but couldn't because you couldn't just go to the store and buy a police dept cap. In a matter of moments, my brother had this guy hooked. What price would he have paid, were they to actually do the deal? My brother had the kid on the line for around $100... with the idea that even that price, if it prevented just 1 speeding ticket, it would pay for itself.

Just seeing that fire department hat recalled that great story. Then I realized the spiritual principle at work. That's what the enemy of our souls does to us. Young and old alike, saved or unsaved, pastor or parishioner. Satan convinces us of our need for a solution that, while creative, isn't an actual fix. The kid didn't need a baseball cap;  he needed to change his behavior! Adam and Eve didn't need to be "like God"; they already had a relationship with God. Yet he sold them on the fact that the one thing God said 'no' to; was exactly what was missing from their life to make it better; complete. And in fact, it was the beginning of their demise.

There is no hope, if it is false. Nobody hopes for failure; to walk away with less than they started.
There is no love, if it is false. Nobody longs for hatred, abandonment or neglect

Too often we get sold on inanimate things and creative lines of thinking that don't address the real issue in our lives. And while the real issue can be hard to acknowledge and even harder to correct; it pails in comparison to the difficult challenge of trying to resolve it with ineffective answers and false solutions.

In such times and places, we NEED to hear and respond to truth.

So, pray this #youthPastorWednesday, that the truth of God and His Word would be revealed and extended, from both the pulpit and the believer in the seat. Pray for pastors; that they would preach the truth as well as live it; and that the church would respond in kind; doers of the truth and speaking the same to those around them. Pray for young people and the next generation; may they not be sold a bill of false goods and promises. May they witness and experience for themselves a genuine faith in the Most High God. May they serve Him and seek Him alone, all their days; standing on His promises as they watch Him work the miraculous in their lives.

Truth.
By the grace of God.
For His Glory.

- PNC