Using Flattery...?
Can I just say "devil's in the details?" O_o
The more I read God's word,
The more I see unexpected details,
That keep revealing His heart and character,
In ways I didn't expect Him to care.
"You know we never used FLATTERY, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed"
I never really considered myself as someone that used FLATTERY to get my way,
But this verse made me pause and reflect,
Do I use flattery?
Perhaps, maybe... every now and then?
In the world of business or sales,
It's not uncommon to compliment a person saying,
"You're intelligent, smart, capable...",
"You obviously know what you're doing...",
But what is the true motive behind it?
Were you 100% sincere,
Or did you stretch the truth?
Did you have 100% pure intentions,
Or 1% alternate motivation?
The world will tell us this is an effective tactic,
That it will build rapport,
And ultimately boost your sales or conversion.
What does God have to say about it?
"A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet."
"a flattering mouth works ruin"
"by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive."
Flattery at it's root is... MANIPULATION.
It's a craftiness of man to accomplish a goal,
To stretch a truth,
To fluff ego,
Purposefully buttering someone up,
To get them to say yes to what you want them to do.
"Satan disguises himself as an angel of light."
This is such a small nuance,
It could easily pass as "no big deal",
But the bottom line is this,
Does this make Jesus happy?
Does this put a smile on His face?
What does sticking to TRUTH really look like in business?
Where's the line?
There's no hard fast answer except,
Keep SEEKING God to teach you His ways.
"Dear Heavenly Father,
I repent of using flattery to get my way,
I'm sorry I grieved You,
Forgive me and wash me clean,
And make me white as snow.
Teach me Your ways,
Grant me Your wisdom,
To speak truth AND get the job done.
Correct me when I stray,
Grant me Your peace when I abide in You,
Increase my sensitivity to Your heart's desires.
May I rejoice when You rejoice,
May I grieve when You grieve,
Teach me Your ways of doing life and business.
In Jesus name, Amen."
Cheers to a cleaner, more authentic way of doing business like Jesus. ^_^
