The Integrity Test by Steve Stoner
It was in a hotel room in Youngstown, Ohio over twenty years ago when I learned a life transforming lesson about how the Bible contains timeless truths and is thus relevant for the issues we face everyday. I was struggling to get to sleep, tossing and turning with anxiety about the meeting we would go to in the morning with one of our customers. This account had seemingly sprung up out of nowhere. They were building new stores rapidly and each one was a bonanza of new business for every one of our sales reps who was fortunate enough to have one open in their territory. Not only were their opening orders impressive but reorders came quickly and abundantly. Our payment structure contained a provision for bonuses for exceeding quotas which for anyone with one or more of these stores was a certainty. It was a great relationship, or so I thought.
Several weeks earlier as the Regional Vice President, I had made a courtesy visit with one of our sales reps to the headquarters. Typically, the purpose of these visits was to give updates on our marketing plans, review our business or make a presentation of a major strategic decision. Generally, they were cordial and were often preceded or followed by lunch or dinner in appreciation of their support of our products. But this visit was a bit different. The Vice President of Merchandising sat in on our meeting with the buyer and as we concluded, he made a request that was the cause of my tossing and turning. He asked me to approve special pricing for them since they were doing so uch business with us. We did offer discounts for volume purchases but even with the izeable orders we were getting from them, they fell well short of qualifying for them. These discounts were intended for our customers who warehoused our products, which
this customer did not do. So, basically I was being asked as the Regional Vice President to approve pricing for which this customer was not qualified.
In the weeks between meetings, I didn't give the request much thought. Perhaps I thought it would just go away or be resolved somehow but, of course, that did not happen and there I was back in Youngstown, Ohio on the eve of giving my answer.
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BLE Celebration Dinner Recap
 175 people gathered on Thursday, October 28 at Tri-Point to celebrate BLE's 25th anniversary. We enjoyed a wonderful meal catered by the San Antonio Food Bank's Catalyst Catering and heard testimonies from 4 individuals about the impact that BLE has had on their lives. It was great to see folks renewing old acquaintances and enjoying the fellowship of brothers and sisters in Christ. It was truly a wonderful evening. We want to thank everyone who attended and especially thank our table and event sponsors. Your support made the event possible. |
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Refreshment
 featuring Small Group member Waylon Sodd
"It is a refreshing break from the work day where we can be filled up by the Word of God."
This is how Waylon, a BLE small group member for the past three years, describes his experiences in his BLE small group. He has seen God work some big miracles in his career and marriage, and finds the bi-monthly BLE studies to be a time for re-energizing for the days ahead.
Working in the Consulting Architecture and Engineering business, he meets a number of clients inside and outside of San Antonio which gives him ample opportunity to share the message of Christ with those he encounters. He also has been given leadership responsibilities, and says the way he reacts to negative situations and how he manages people are just some of the ways in which he can reflect his true identity in Christ, and show his co-workers a new perspective on management.
Waylon's small group, led by BLE's Steve Stoner, is made up of men and women who show up surrendered and ready to dig into God's Word. Says Waylon: "The men and women who have attended the group have supported me with prayer and words of encouragement throughout the time that my wife and I have struggled. During the economic recession, our company has continued to enjoy success which is something we have prayed for in the group. It is so amazing to watch how God continues to work."
Since joining the group, Waylon has developed spiritually from a person who worked for men to a person who works for the glory of the Lord. Each study has built on this concept, helping him maintain the correct perspective on his career and to be an Ambassador for Christ first.
"Any success that I have comes from the Lord. He is the giver of every good and perfect gift. I've been encouraged to be a light in the workplace for Christ through the work I do and how I interact with my co-workers," he says.
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