July 18, 2025 Devo

I was talking with one of my staff members this week about the importance of customer service. She told me how they had gotten her mother-in-law a gift and took her to the store to find something for her birthday. But when the clerk scratched off the place on the back where the PIN is, she scratched too hard and made it unreadable. The clerk said, “I’m sorry, but you can’t use the card without the PIN.” “But YOU were the one who made it unreadable!” my staff member said. The manager came up, listened to the situation, agreed with her employee, and simply shrugged with an uncaring, “There’s nothing we can do. You’ll have to call the customer service number and work it out with them.” An employee of the store ruins the gift card, and the store doesn’t have to honor it. What a scam!
And what horrible taste gets left in your mouth as a customer. Sometimes I think these situations happen because of a failure in understanding a very basic principle: “I am The Company.” You see, even though that clerk is not the owner of that store, when they’re dealing with a customer, they ARE the store! The same is true of the manager. I refuse to believe that there’s nothing that could’ve been done to make it right, or at least make them feel like valued customers. How we feel about YOU is how we feel about The Company. Treat us poorly, and we feel poorly about your whole organization.
That’s why David’s statement here is so important. He realizes that what he does, how he acts, and how he interacts with others don’t just reflect on him. It reflects on ALL the people of God. It reflects on God Himself. It’s the same with us! It is an incredible opportunity and a heavy responsibility. If we act and live with integrity, we protect the good name of our church and of our faith. If we treat people with respect and kindness and dignity, we reflect the nature and the character of the God whose name we wear. But when we yell at our neighbors, or treat our waitress rudely, or act like a jerk at work, guess what? We don’t just shame ourselves. We shame our families. We shame our churches. We shame our Father.
Oh, I know. It’s not always easy to do. David understood that, too. He was facing some tough stuff in this Psalm. He’s dealing with difficult people, and he’s dealing with a lot of opposition. But David realizes that there’s more at stake than just him. He’s the head of a family. He’s a part of a tribe. He’s a leader in a country. He’s a man of God. His life will bring them honor, or his life will bring them shame. He IS The Company. With that much at stake, David’s prayer is that God will help him do this right. That might be a good prayer for ALL of us to pray today. So before you head out today, take a moment to remember this truth. Ask God for the strength, patience, and commitment to represent Him well. Then look in the mirror and say this out loud: “I AM The Company.” Now go live in a way that brings honor to us all! That’s God’s Word for you today.