How God Walked the Factory Floor
The Total Quality Management (TQM) movement that emerged in the 1980s has been reinventing itself as the business and management landscape changes. One of its key principles is the importance of owners and managers “walking the floor,” getting out of their offices and seeing what’s really happening on the front line of their businesses.
A more visible example is the TV show, Undercover Boss, a show featuring owners, presidents, and CEOs of companies who are disguised to go undercover to discover how their employees do their jobs and represent the company.
God Was the First to Walk the Floor
Little did the original TQM gurus know the original floor walker was God himself. Walking the floor is exactly what God did after creating the world. After he rested and expressed satisfaction with what he created, he walked in the garden, paying attention to what was really going on. He even made an executive decision and fired his only two employees.
Jesus walked the factory floor for 33 years.
Thousands of years later, he turned his business over to his Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus walked the floor for 33 years, and completely revolutionized the business, rewriting the rules, hiring new employees, and totally revamping the corporate culture.
The Holy Spirit Came on Board
Before the Son moved on to his new position seated at the right hand of the founding Father, he passed the baton to us in a small room where the Holy Spirit came on board as a consultant to guide us, strengthen us, and walk alongside us as we walked the floors of our own individual franchises operating in the Kingdom of God here on earth.
We Have Our Own Franchises
As Christians, we have been charged with running our own little franchises, taking care of the Lord’s business here on earth. We paid no franchise fee. Jesus paid that fee when he died on the cross for us. And there’s no maintenance fee. He is always at our side ready to provide us his mercy and grace.
The Holy Spirit is present in us as the “helper” Jesus assigned to give us guidance, strength, and the marketing support we need through his power and the Word. And unlike many original founders who pass businesses to later generations, the Father is eternally alive and present, always available to communicate with us about how we are managing.
Pass on the Good News
If you know of anyone interested in a business that is guaranteed to succeed, pass along the Good News about this great opportunity.
Additional reading:
Listen to God's Words
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)
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Galatians 6:9-10)
This, then, is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9-10)
Also read: Genesis 2:15, Proverbs 13:4, Romans 14:17
In the Words of Others
“Pray as if everything depended on God. Work as if everything depended on you.”
St. Augustine
“The one supreme business of life is to find God’s plan for your life and live it.” E. Stanley Jones
“We are not here to build our empire only but also to help people discern the Kingdom of God.” Sunday Adelaja
Think About It
Describe what you consider to be the Lord’s business here on earth based on the Old Testament. In the gospels?
How do you believe you have been called to walk the floor and help build the Kingdom of God here on earth?
Create a mission statement for your individual franchise of the Lord’s business here on earth. Read it every day.
