Many years ago, I was the Marketing Manager for a company that manufactured labels and metal nameplates. Our business had slowed, so I looked for opportunities in areas we had never explored. At the time, Pogs & Slammers were all the rage. Pogs were cardboard discs with cartoon characters or unusual designs, and slammers were thicker discs (made of plastic, wood, or metal) that were thrown down on the Pogs to flip them over. If a player flipped over a Pog, he won that piece. To my marketing mind, making slammers could be an excellent short-term opportunity.
One of the first customers we landed was a young man who had a ministry in Redlands, California. He wanted a new way to introduce the Gospel to young people in his gang-plagued neighborhood. We ended up producing a series of etched stainless-steel slammers that had unusual Christian designs with a bible verse around the edges.
Our second customer turned out to be our last. A young lady visited our factory and asked if we had anyone who could prepare unique artwork for a series of slammers she felt would sell well to teenagers. Since our graphic artists were accustomed to working on industrial nameplates, I told the client that I would personally develop the designs she wanted.
“What exactly are you looking for?” I asked.
“Kids like skulls and devils—and of course, marijuana leaves.”
At this point, I wish I had paid more attention when I had read the Psalms.
“I will reject perverse ideas and stay away from every evil.” Psalm 101:4(NLT)
A few weeks later slammers with the designs I had created went into production.
I was walking through the plant one morning when one of the ladies from our metal finishing department stopped me. She held out her hand to show me a few of the pieces with devil and marijuana leaf designs, and with the saddest expression I think I’ve ever seen, she said, “Mr. Sennott, I thought you were a Christian.”
Her words were convicting—I nearly broke down in tears on the spot. You see, I wasn’t an evil man doing evil things; I was a good man who had become insensitive to the reach of evil. The prophet Isaiah warned us about this.
What sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good is evil, that dark is light and light is dark, that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter. Isaiah 5:20
Thanks to the courage of that worker, we abandoned the slammer market, and I walked away having learned just how easy it is for those in business (or any of us in our personal lives) to follow the wrong path.
To say I should have known better is an understatement. Looking back, I wonder why I failed to recognize the insidious nature of the designs on those slammers. After all, I believed in God; I had accepted Jesus; I had even studied the Bible. What went wrong?”
The answer is found in Proverbs 3 and Psalm 119.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:5-6
Guide my steps by your word, so I will not be overcome by evil. Psalm 119:133
If we truly desire to seek God’s will, we need to make God’s Word our ever-present guide. If we want to avoid paths of darkness, we need to have His Word as our light.
Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. Psalm 119:105
Over the years, I have made more than my share of bad decisions; most came when I trusted my instincts rather than seeking the will of the Lord. Having faith is only a starting point—living your faith is a day-by-day challenge.
Psalm 16:3 should be a required memory verse for every sales and marketing professional.
Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans. Proverbs 16:3 (NIV)
Blessings,
Don & Bonnie Photo from Score bored sports
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