If the axe is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed but skill will bring success.If the axe is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed but skill will bring success.

1.1. Looking at the theme.Looking at the theme.

2.2. Context of the marketplace ChristianContext of the marketplace Christian

3.3. Journey toward integration (the 4 stages) Journey toward integration (the 4 stages)

4.4. Assessment of Impact. (Joseph, Daniel, Esther, David, Assessment of Impact. (Joseph, Daniel, Esther, David,

Job etc)Job etc)

5.5. Next stepsNext steps

Identify one principle that you will apply next week in Identify one principle that you will apply next week in

the marketplace.the marketplace.

This commandment addresses our need for significance. Gen 1:26 : Let us make man in our image’.

Our image reflects God.

Our significance comes from our source of identity. If our source is God, we feel significant. What if our source isn't God?

Our source reflects royalty (He is the king of kings)

We worship our source of identity.

Money – By submitting to its demands and sacrificing friends, family and principle to get it.

Celebrities – buying their merchandise, lining up for autographs, following the stars.

Other sources:

Buying and selling is about meeting a need which then makes us feel significant. The question is how can God – through us – make those whom we serve feel significant. Greeting our customers by name, going the extra mile to really give quality service. Can you think of more examples?

What makes people feel insignificant? Being slow to return calls, being late for appointments, too casual in approach, other examples???

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This commandment addresses our need for authority. Gen 1:26 : Let us make man in our image’.

We were created to be in authority over some things while always being under the authority of God.

To have authority we must be under authority.

Understanding the principles of authority allows us to work within God’s order of establishing, honoring, and respecting other peoples’ authority.

By honoring and respecting other people’s authority, we gain favor in the marketplace.

Prospective customers are wired for authority too, but if you don’t recognize their legitimate authority boundaries, you can kill your chances of winning their favor.

Example:

Employee / Employer.

Selling / Buying.

Learning / Teaching.

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This commandment is much more than refraining from swearing.

It protects our legitimate need for honor.

God’s name is to be honored through our words and actions.

When we apply God’s name to our agenda, we dishonor God. Many people have applied God’s name to their vision and when the vision falls apart, it brings dishonor to name of God and to them.

By understanding this in the marketplace, you being to ask yourself ‘how can I honor my customers in a way that glorifies God and enhances their significance?’ when people feel they are significant to you, they are more likely to give you their willing cooperation.

Example:,

Selling to a customer solely motivated by the need to earn your commission rather than meeting their need.

Doing a job solely for the salary rather than contributing to the overall organization objectives.

Other examples.

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Man was not made for Sabbath, but Sabbath was made for man (Mark 2:27).

The Sabbath is set aside as a way of recognizing our need for rest.

Rest is not just a physical need; its much more an emotional need.

This commandment guards and protects our legitimate need for rest and peace of mind.

Does your line of work add to or take away from your customers’ peace of mind? Does your product or service put them in financial bondage, or does it contribute to their peace of mind? If your line of work is at cross-purposes with God’s purposes, you might want to consider something different. Maybe He’d even bless it!

Examples

Selling expensive equipment that a customer questions the value vis a vis the risk of investment.

Attending job interviews with little or no experience / desired qualifications.

Taking on a challenging project / assignment that is difficult to justify in order to get approval from your bosses…

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Growing up under your parent’s authority guards and protects our legitimate motivational need for security.

Legitimate authority creates a sense of security for those submitted to it.

We were born with an innate need to feel secure and that need didn’t end when we got out on our own.

If you put children in a playground with no fence, they wont know where the boundaries are and on average will tend to stay in the middle of the playground. Given some boundaries, like a fence, they would play all over the ground and even hang on the edge of the fence. Giving them boundaries gives them security. You need it, I need it and your customers need it.

I you have customers who seem a little insecure about your business proposition, then consider the possibilities that they haven’t seen the boundaries and therefore cant fairly evaluate the risk. Perhaps they are wondering what risks they will be exposed to and / or protected from if they take a step. It is in your best interests to define the risks up front. In so doing, you remove ambiguity, you show them where the fence is and show them how far you are willing to go to protect them.

When you make people feel secure by recognizing their insecurity, you show respect and ultimately enhance their sense of significance, which is protected by the first commandment.

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Cain killed his brother Abel. He hated and rejected him, which is always at the core of murder.

The opposite of hate and rejection is love and acceptance., which are legitimate motivational needs we all have that are protected by this commandment.

When we go into the marketplace to compete with our products, services and ideas, it helps to understand what motivates people. People naturally want to feel loved and accepted, but how do you appropriately make a potential customer feel loved? Jesus said, ‘Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends’ (John 15:13)

Love is demonstrated when we yield our rights for the benefit of others e.g by providing the ‘WOW’ service than anticipates needs and makes a preparation.

Acceptance is also integral part of this commandment. Sales people feel their job is to persuade people of their point of view before understanding customer’s positions. They think that by accepting others’ point of view, they somehow diminish chances of success.

Make the customer feel accepted, remove the sense of threat occasioned by intolerance to their opinion, and let them know there is room for a different opinion. You will be in for some very good feedback. Welcome differing opinions which leads to dialogue which leads to understanding which in turn leads to cooperation and success in the marketplace.

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The seventh commandment is obvious in its meaning, but its implications are far reaching.

This commandment actually guards and protects the legitimate motivational need for preference.

When people marry, they forsake all other romantic loves and prefer one spouse. In short the spouse is given preference.

When we make people feel preferred, they feel significant and when the feel significant the are more likely to transact with us.

The need for preference is common to us examples:

Prestige banking or Excel banking,

Bonga promotion

Nakumatt / Uchumi cards.

Employee of the year awards,

Recognition programs for outstanding students etc.

Other examples of preference??

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This commandment applies to more than the Wanugu or Wacucu or John Kiriamiti.

It actually guards and protects our legitimate need to acquire.

Mankind has a built in need to acquire things. If owning things is a sin, that would make God the biggest sinner of all, He owns the universe. He made us in his image and gave us His likeness.

Knowing that God wired man with a need and a will to acquire, how can you through your business dealings legitimately tap into this need to help more people obtain the product or service you offer, while simultaneously helping them meet their needs?

In your line of work, ask yourself how what you have to offer can generate a positive economic impact. If your product is more expensive, there’s probably a good reason for it and that reason may have economic consequences over time, such as longer life, fewer breakdowns, or greater convenience.

Help your customers see favorable economic consequences and you will significantly increase your chances of success.

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This guards and protects a person’s legitimate motivational need to be understood and to understand correctly. This begins with telling the truth and though it seems simple enough, its very easy to make truthful statements while deliberately conveying a lie.

It sales it’s critically important to not only tell the truth, but the whole truth. Practice full disclosure. It is so easy to mislead someone by withholding pertinent information.

Imagine the unexplained ‘terms and conditions apply in fine print’ on insurance documents, loan application forms, ambiguous mobile promotion advertisements etc.

Other examples??

Help your customers understand the full picture and lead them through a well informed decision making process. Also seek to understand the customer from their perspective ie. By listening to them.

Learning to understand them will help express your offer in a language and with illustrations that will assure your customers that you truly understand and can help them.

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This commandment guards and protects our legitimate motivational need to enjoy contentment.

Contentment is being satisfied with what you have, while covetousness is thinking you’ll be satisfied with what you don’t have.

In the marketplace, part of our your job is to help your customers gain contentment with what is within their reach. To do this you’ll need to discover areas of discontent that your customers currently have. They may be experiencing poor service or inferior quality with their current product or service provider. Lead them through the process of discovery to expose their discontentment. Once you understand this, you have a basis to build your case for your product or service.

Show them how your product or service meets or exceeds their stated need.

Lead your customers down the path of contentment. Paint the picture in clear unambiguous terms and you will enjoy greater success.

Examples of leading customers down the path of contentment:

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