The Pastor & The Funeral Business

Once upon a time, there was a pastor of a church who had a sizable congregation.

One day, out of the blue, the pastor changed his mobile phone number and he decided to go into the funeral business.

The funeral business was about six blocks away from the church.

Everyone in the congregation was up in arms wondering “where’d the pastor go?”

Word got around that he’d started a funeral business.

They immediately got upset & irate.

The pastor heard about it & decided to call everyone together & talk about why he got into the funeral business and chose to get out of the church.

He’d been a pastor for 20 years.

He held a conference that night and everybody came out who were members of the congregation.

They were so upset, they were mad…they couldn’t believe it.. they were talking & gossiping back & forth.

He came to the podium and he said..

“I know that there have been some problems people have with me getting into the funeral business and leaving the church.”

Tears start rolling down his eyes as he was talking he was looking out into the congregation.

“You know we used to be a family here.

And it was all about helping each other.

We all know each others problems.

I’m looking out right now and I see Scott.

Scott was a great guy at one time.

He had a substance abuse problem.

I spent 2 years, 2 whole years straightening him out.

I got him straight for 2 years and after the 2 years, he relapsed.

And he went right back into Crack Cocaine.

I’m looking out and I see Pamela.

‘How ya doin’ Pamela’?”

(And Pamela has this mad expression on her face, she was so upset)

The pastor continues…

“Pamela, has problems with infidelity… And I counciled Pam for 3 years.

And I helped straigten her out.

Pam was straight for 3 years.

Now I’m looking out and I see Eric.

Eric is a hell of a guy himself.

Now Eric had problems with infidelity as well.

I mean he was also abusing his wife.

I spent 4 and a half years straightening him out, and he was straight for 4 years, and he relapsed.

So I’m here to tell all of you guys one thing.

I got into the funeral business for one reason and one reason only.

Now, when I get somebody, or anybody straight.

They stay straight.

🙂

The Moral Of The Story

It’s normal for people (ourselves included) to waiver, and falter, and make mistakes.

As entrepreneurs, it’s ok to get crooked once in a while and get off track.

Just don’t get off the train.

As a leader, it’s also important to remember that people don’t hear what you say.

They hear what you KEEP saying.