When You Come Calling

by Kally Reynolds, CPCC, ACC

Who answers the door when you come calling? When I was just out of college I worked for Fuller Brush. This once successful company sold quality brushes and cleaning products for the home, using door-to-door salespeople who gave small gifts as free samples.

I sold many brushes and cleaning products for Fuller Brush. Every neighborhood promised a new adventure. In those days, most people—usually women—were at home and welcomed a short friendly commercial break. People liked and wanted to buy Fuller Brush products.

Brad disagreed. A clean cut, fun-loving college student, he canvassed on one side of the street, while I handled the other. When I finished selling, Brad was already in the car waiting for me, having made no sales at all. So I went with Brad, and stayed back a few yards to see what was going on.

At the first house, the confident kid I knew wilted. Brad lowered his head, hunched his shoulders, took in a deep breath and rang the bell. The door opened. A woman talked with him briefly, accepted his free sample brush and shut the door. Brad trudged down the steps. A pep talk from me, and Brad straightened up. Then on he went to the next house, with me a few yards behind.

By the time he rang the doorbell, Brad looked worse, if possible, than he had at the house before. “Quick!” He told me. “Give me one of your cleaning samples.”
“Just give her a brush,” I told him, knowing that he had a full stock.

“I can’t,” he whispered. “I already gave that to her.”

It took me a second to grasp just who Brad was talking about. In his imagination, Brad had snatched the lady who had turned him down at the last house and lugged her over to this one. This “same woman” had already shut the door on him once and would doubtless do it again. And again.

I wonder. Who do we imagine is at the gateway of our opportunities, waiting for our knock? What if we (and/or our clients) are still carting around the woman (or man) who slammed the door on us (and them) many years before?

Now, let’s play another game: We ring the bell, ready to give away the gift of ourselves, a small sample of who we are. The door opens….

And there is Christ. Turns out He’s been waiting for us….
Who answers the door when you come calling?

Wishing you a week filled with many welcoming doorways,

Kally

kally rejoyc.com

Luke 11:9 -- "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.