We often forget that God is in the strategy business. Look at David. When he needed to go to war with the Philistines, he sought God's wisdom. The Lord told him to fight and he won (2 Samuel 5:19). The next time that same enemy attacked, the Lord told David to apply a different battle strategy. Instead of rushing into battle as he had the last time, the Lord instructed him to circle around the enemy (2 Samuel 5:23). He also told David to listen for the sound of marching, then he would know the Lord had gone ahead into the battle and could follow (2 Samuel 5:24). Once again, David defeated his enemies.
Alas, nowadays, we only look to books on business and self-described business gurus to learn strategic approaches for dealing with customers and other companies. However, the best strategist is the God who knows all things. This is not to say that books and the experiences of others are irrelevant. Yet, gaining wisdom from the Lord is all a Christian truly needs.
Recently, I've been busy providing services to customers. It's been wonderful seeing the Lord work and guide in different ways. He's also taught me that one approach won't work for every client. Some clients need a gentle hand, others need a more direct approach to glean information and serve them to the best of my ability.
The Lord has also taught that depending on the client, some can pay for their services in installments while others will pay the entire fee upfront. Learning to change my approach per client was uncomfortable but this God-given strategy has and is making a significant difference in how I juggle multiple clients and give them my best.
Do you need a strategy for some aspect of your business? Or regarding a particular client or potential customer? Consider how Apostle Paul dealt with the Greeks in Athens (Acts 17). He received wisdom from the Holy Spirit to engage them in conversation and lead people who served several gods and cherished intellectualism to God. Keep in mind that God demands that He alone be worshiped and that He expects His own to submit their intellectualism and every other thing they hold dear to Him. That people in Athens could give up all they knew so readily is nothing short of a miracle.
And that is because God gave Paul an ingenious strategy! Paul pointed to the fact that the people of the city worshiped several gods and applauded them for being so religious. Then, he noted that they even acknowledged that there was an unknown God. He used that to introduce them to the One True God.
That same God is giving His children ingenious ways to speak and convince people of the things they need to know but don't want to hear. Even in business. He's giving His own witty ways to stand out in the marketplace. Turn to Him and be well-armed with the strategies to gain clients, get paid on time by them, and solve their problems. All to the glory of God.