Step It Up!

Due to the depressed agriculture market one year, my company’s sales had been down. My territory manager’s boss gave the lowest earning scouts two years to reach at least $150,000 in sales. If they couldn’t, they would be let go. Now let me tell you what $150,000 in sales meant at that point in time.

To scout a 160 acre field once a week for the growing season took about half an hour per week, not including time to write up and deliver the report. That same field brought in about $2,072. So, the head guy was asking us to scout at least 72 fields which would take about 36 hours per week, not including drive time. I had an area with a 60 mile radius. Drive time was significant some days. Also, scouting was not the only responsibility I had. I also had about forty solar powered soil moisture monitors to install and maintain as well, and they were spread throughout my territory. What my territory manager’s boss was asking was very reasonable for a single person or for a person with a spouse to help out at home. However, being a single parent, the increase in sales was going to be extremely difficult for me to do.

I prayed. I explained my situation to my heavenly Father in complete detail (as if he didn’t know). I laid all my worries and concerns in God’s hands, and I got to work. I believed I had a responsibility to work as hard as I could for a successful solution. Everything that was outside of my ability was God’s responsibility. I’m not going to lie, I worried. Yet, I also prayed for my territory manager and his boss.

One month later at a meeting, my territory manager’s boss announced his retirement, effective right before our growing season would start. I asked my manager what that meant for my sales and my job. He told me my job was safe!! Let this be our reminder that God sees, he cares, and he is able!

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

Colossians 3:23-24