Marilyn and I love to bask in the beauty of the Appalachian Mountains. We once spent three days at The Cove, Billy Graham’s training center located in the breathtaking Blue Ridge Mountains near Asheville, North Carolina. From Asheville we made our way to Charlotte to visit two sacred sites; The Billy Graham Library and the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
From Charlotte, we headed west into the Smokies to kick back all week in a log cabin overlooking Gatlinburg, one of our favorite getaways for over 30 years. The soft blue midst of the Smokies always takes us to a quieter place. And as the Lord would have it, there was a major Hot Rod event going on in nearby Pigeon Forge! Marilyn loves this kind of thing, I just go along to get along.
During our travels, we recognized that we always received great service when we stopped at a brand new restaurant or hotel. It didn’t take a detective to figure out the difference: When a major chain opens a new store, they assign people from the corporate office to help train new personnel onsite and to assure the corporate image is being properly represented. Know what? It makes a huge difference when the boss is onsite!
We also saw this played out with small businesses when the owner was onsite. I’m not talking about being a difficult or fussy patron, expecting everyone to kowtow—I’m simply talking about receiving personal attention from those who are genuinely interested in your needs.
At the Grand Opening of a sandwich shop, we watched as the corporate representative fussed over every tiny detail with his trainees in tow. The drink station was kept spotless and stocked. He worked the crowd, asking if there was anything he could do to make our visit more comfortable. I couldn’t help but wonder what our experience will be like next year. I’m guessing it won’t be the same, unless someone who’s heavily invested in the success of that establishment remains onsite.
Onsite ownership is not something service-related businesses invented. Actually, every believer in Jesus Christ enjoys the presence of His Spirit living and breathing “onsite.” The successful operation of our spiritual lives is directly proportional to His presence in us. In other words the brilliance of God’s plan for every believer is that Christ’s Holy Spirit is onsite. When we accept Christ as our personal Savior, He immediately takes up residence in our lives. He doesn’t communicate through impersonal, corporate missives from a distant corporate office, but lives intimately within every believer, whispering personal direction, encouragement and comfort moment by moment. And talk about an owner who’s heavily invested! Jesus has not only given His blood, sweat and tears to assure that we have all that we need to succeed spiritually but He remains continually onsite, providing His personal presence.
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.” John 14:26
I am so grateful that God doesn’t leave us on our own, but that He sends His Holy Spirit to live within us, onsite, to guide and comfort us! I pray that I will properly represent Him to those I meet.
Read Ron’s column, Simple Faith, each Saturday on the Faith Page (page 3) of the Lancaster Eagle Gazette, or visit www.lancastereaglegazette.com.