If you asked most entrepreneurs for five reasons why they got into business, making money would probably be close to number one. If so, that makes John Roise, owner of Lindsay Windows, something of an anomaly. When the former banker decided to enter the window business several years ago, he had four main goals in mind and none of them included the word “money.”
“The first thing I wanted to do was share my faith,” says John. “Second, I wanted to be able to hire people who needed a second, third or fourth chance; people like ex-prisoners and drug addicts. Third, I wanted to speak out on social issues. And finally, I wanted to be able to take short-term mission trips.”
In fact, John’s original goal was to build a business to the point where he had to spend only one day per week at work and the rest of his time in Christian ministry. However, as every entrepreneur knows, rarely do the demands of even a small business afford such luxuries, especially when you’re just starting out. It wasn’t that John felt money was unimportant. He realized the only way to reach his other goals was to make his company profitable. Echoing in his head were the words of famed evangelist Dwight L. Moody:
“Make as much as you can, save as much as you can, so you can give as much as you can.”
John set out to do just that.
Here's The Story
Why was John so concerned about giving rather than gaining? Back in college, John made a decision that changed his life: He had become a Christian. Having grown up in a Christian home, John thought he had all the bases covered when it came to God. He went to church, he was baptized, he was nice to his parents and he lived a decent life. But when he met his future wife Susan, she showed him that just going through the motions of faith was not enough. If he really wanted to call himself a Christian, he had to become “born again.”
“And I said, ‘What do you mean, born again? How I can be born again?’” says John. “And she pointed out some Scripture to me and I said ‘Wow, I’d never seen that before.’ No one had ever challenged me like that.”
Although his pride prevented him from letting Susan convert him on the spot, the seed was planted. A short time later while John was in his room watching television, he finally accepted the fact that:
* he wasn’t as good a person as he thought he was and
* the only solution was to ask Jesus for forgiveness.
John did exactly that, and his new, personal relationship with Jesus began.
“No bells went off, and no whistles rang. But I knew there was a difference,” John says.
For one thing, John realized it wasn’t enough to live life just for himself. To be a true follower of Christ, he had to devote his life to serving others.
A Sign From God
John’s faith grew over the next several years as he graduated from college and found work in the banking industry. An entrepreneur at heart, John also ran a few other businesses on the side, including real estate development and an oyster shell chicken feed company. While John always seemed to do well, he still hadn’t found the company that would allow him to fulfill his dreams.
Oddly enough, John’s golden opportunity came in the form of a business he knew nothing about: window manufacturing. He wasn’t even interested in purchasing the company at first. Not only did he lack experience, buying the company would require him to borrow several million dollars and leave his comfortable, six-figure job in the banking industry.
John decided to put the decision before God. Seeing as it was unlikely that any bank would loan him so much money, John decided to let that be the determining factor. If he managed to secure the financing, he would take it as a sign that God wanted him to take this leap of faith. If not, then he would forfeit the deal and keep looking for another business opportunity.
Rather than seek a loan from his own bank and risk the embarrassment of being turned down, John decided to approach another bank three hours away. He fully expected his application to be rejected, but,
“Within 24 hours, I had a commitment to do the whole deal,” says John.
Still not convinced that this was the way to go, John decided to try his luck at yet another bank.
Once again, his loan application was approved almost instantly. John finally accepted the fact that God might be telling him to go for it.
Fulfilling his Goals
Building the company was far from easy. Desperation was a common feeling during that first year, John says. But as he learned the business, he was able to turn Lindsay Windows into a highly successful manufacturer of custom windows.
More importantly, John’s financial success meant he could finally fulfill the four goals he had stated at the outset. Today, Lindsay Windows regularly employs ex-prisoners, the mentally challenged,and individuals with chemical dependency problems.
“I’ve seen some people that have just walked away from drugs, gotten off alcohol and become good, productive individuals. Some people fall back and that’s to be expected.... But I have seen quite a few success stories.”
As for John’s own success, his definition is rather simple:
“I measure success according to what I’ve done compared to what I’m capable of doing. You could have millions of dollars, but that doesn’t matter. What matters is what you’ve done on this earth with the opportunities you’ve been given.”
So, does John consider himself a success on those terms?
“I don’t know. I guess I’ll have to wait and see if I hear those famous words from the Lord when I get to heaven, ‘Well done my good and faithful servant.’”
How do you measure success? Why not ask Jesus what success looks like for you? If you do not know Jesus, we encourage you to pray the following:
Lord Jesus, I want to know You personally. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive You as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of my life. Make me be the person You want me to be.
Is it the desire of your heart to make this prayer yours?
If yes, pray now and according to his promise, Jesus Christ will come into your life.
如果你讓成功的企業家給出從商的五個理由，賺錢很可能位列第一。這樣的話，Lindsay Windows的老板John Roise就是奇人一個。幾年前，當他從銀行家轉而從事門窗產業的時候，他懷揣著四個夢想，而“錢”這一詞未在其中。
* “我第一件要做的事情是分享我的信仰。”約翰說道“第二，雇傭那些需要第二，第三甚至更多機會的人，比如坐過牢和吸過毒的人。第三，就社會問題發表我的觀點。最后，參加教會短期宣講會。”
實際上，約翰最初的目標是創立一家企業，直到他可以每周只上一天班，剩下的時間在基督教部度過。不過，每個企業家都知道，即使是小企業，工作需求也不少，如此奢侈的想法是在難以滿足，尤其在它起步的時候。你可能覺得約翰就是認為錢不重要，不是這樣的。他認識到能實現其他的夢想的唯一途徑就是讓公司盈利。著名的福音傳道者德懷特,穆迪的話縈繞在他腦海的中
* “盡可能的獲取，盡可能的節約，這樣你才能盡可能的給與。”
約翰也的確是這樣做的。
約翰的故事
為什么約翰如此的關注給予而非索取呢？因為在大學時代，約翰做了一個改變他一生的決定：成為一個基督信徒。從小在基督教家庭長大的約翰，認為上帝為他安排了一切。他經常到教堂去，并接受洗禮。他對父母很好，過著一種體面而高尚的生活。但是當他遇到他未來的妻子蘇珊時，她告訴他僅僅情感上感覺到的信仰是不夠的。如果想成為一名真正的基督教徒，他必須要重生。
* “我當時問她，‘你說的重生，是什么？’我怎樣才能重生？”約翰這樣說道。“她說了一些經文，然后我說：‘我從來沒聽過。’從沒有人那樣向我示威過。”
盡管出于自尊，他沒讓蘇珊在這個問題上轉變自己的觀點，不過一顆種子卻埋在了他心里。不久之后，當約翰在臥室里看電視時，這個種子終于生根發芽，于是他最終接受了以下事實：
* 他并沒有他曾經認為的那么好
* 唯一的解決之道是向上帝尋求寬恕
約翰的確這么做了，于是他和基督的私人關系悄然開始。
* “沒有鐘聲響起，沒有哨聲依依，但我知道，我已經不同。”約翰說道。
首先，約翰意識到只為自己活著是不夠的。要成為上帝真正的追隨者，他必須傾力服務他人。
上帝的旨意
之后幾年，他從大學畢業并進入銀行業工作，他的信念也與日俱增。他內心里是一名創業家，所以他同時還在其他幾家公司做兼職，包括房地產開發和牡蠣殼制雞飼料公司。雖然他工作出色，仍然沒有找到一家公司能讓自己實現夢想。
造化弄人，約翰的絕佳機會出現在一個他幾乎一無所知的行業：門窗制造。他開始根本無意買進那家公司。他沒有經驗，而且要買下這個公司，他還要負債幾百萬美元，并且辭掉他年薪六位數的無比舒適的銀行工作。
約翰決定讓上帝來抉擇。約翰以為不會有銀行肯借那么多錢給他，所以干脆先拿這個行業開刀。如果他成功的借到了錢，那么這就是上帝賜他提升信仰的旨意。不然，他甘愿損不要，接著在別的行業尋找機遇。
約翰不向自己的公司貸款，那樣會被難看的拒絕。他決定找車程3小時之外的一家銀行。他早已做好被拒絕的準備，但是：
* “24小時之內，我得到所有款項的批準，”約翰說道。
不相信事情會這個簡單，約翰決定再到另一家銀行試試運氣。
和上一次一樣，他的貸款申請立即神奇的被批準。無奈，約翰最后接受了“事實”：去做吧，這是上帝的旨意。
夢想實現
創立一家公司絕不是一件簡單的事。第一年，他常常感到絕望。但是他不斷了解這個行業，最終將Lindsay Windows變成傳統門窗制造的行業巨頭。
更重要的是，這讓約翰轉了一大筆錢，好讓他完成最初的其他夢想。今天，Lindsay Windows經常雇傭前囚犯，智障的和有藥物依賴問題的人。
* “我看有人剛剛走出毒品的陰影，戒掉酗酒的毛病，他們成為了好人，有用之人。當然有些人還是舊病重犯。他們之中少有人成功的。（沒看懂邏輯關系）
至于約翰自己的成功，他的定義頗為簡單：
* “我衡量成功的辦法是比較我能做多少和我真正做了多少。你賺了幾百萬，但那不是重點。重點是今生今世，在上帝給你的機會面前，你做些了什么。”
那么，約翰自己達到了那些標準嗎？
* “不知道，這還要等等看。如果我到天堂里，聽到主說：‘我優秀而忠實的仆人，你做的很好。’那我才是真正做得好。”
你是怎么衡量成功的呢？問問上帝吧，什么才是你的成功。如果你不認識上帝，我建議你這樣祈禱：
* “耶穌，我的主。我想認識您。您釘死在十字架上為我贖罪，我萬分感激。我打開我的生命之門，接受您為無上的救世主。感謝寬恕我的罪過并賜予我永生。我的生命交給您，請將我塑造成你眼中的我。
你的祈禱時出于真心嗎？
如果是，現在就祈禱上帝的保佑，上帝就會融入你的生活。
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