Give Me 5

I attended an assembly at my daughter’s elementary school last week. I was there to see them do their “class cheer” as they prepared to participate in an all day fundraising event. I watched as over 500 kids strolled into the gym and sat down on the floor. They were quite rambunctious and excited – and for good reason! That day they not only got to do their cheer in front of the “judges” and their fellow students but they looked forward to not having to do much schoolwork because of all of the activities going on.

Then it happened.

The principal stood up, walked to the middle of the gym, and silenced the students immediately by doing just one thing.

She held her hand up like this:

Every time I am at my daughter’s school I get amazed at how quickly the students, no matter how excited they are, can calm down when the principal or a teacher does this!

When I am excited, or in the middle of something, and someone needs my attention, how quickly do I calm down and turn my attention to them?

How quickly do you turn your attention to someone when you are in this situation?

From experience I can tell you that I don’t do too well myself.

A Real Christian Businessman needs to be the example for others. When someone needs our attention, we need to model what it looks like to give others the respect of listening and paying attention to what it is that they have to say.

Samuel did this when the Lord was trying to speak to him:

“Then the LORD came and stood and called as at other times, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for Your servant is listening.” 1 Samuel 3:10 (ESV)

Listening attentively, when it is time, lends itself to being respectable. And as a Real Christian Businessman, that is a quality we all are striving to display to others.

The next time you are in the middle of doing something and someone calls your name – ‘Give them 5’, think of Samuel, and give them your full attention.