I guess everyone has had a business experience that is far less than satisfactory. Recently I had one with a twist to it. I went to a business to have a repair done. The number quoted me was more than three times what it actually cost to have the repair completed. I was given bad numbers and charged fees for work not done. I was angry and extremely disappointed because I had a long term association with this business.

I received my first miracle when I was shocked by the price. I did not lose my temper, yell, and use all the bad words that always seem so close to the surface. The agent was very polite to me and evidently concerned with my disappointment. I have to add at this point that no person at this business was rude to me at all or at any time. I even received a gift basket. My problem was that the numbers given to me were outrageous and out of line with anything reasonable or fair.

I talked with several persons in authority in the business. All were very polite to me. I quoted them prices from like businesses. I gave them the benefit of my comparison shopping, being careful to compare like to like. However, the number confusion was never resolved. I was offered freebies and discounts and generous benefits. I was offered meandering justifications which didn’t really address the issue, but all pointing to their view that they had done nothing wrong. I was offered everything but the one thing I needed to re-establish trust – the truth about the numbers. 

I did not want freebies because that would be dishonest, like a bribe. It would be like me manipulating them out of a price for selfish reasons. They would have to explain and justify their discounts and gifts to their superiors if their numbers were real, based on the requirements of their business. I needed a fair price for a fair job so I could live with myself and they could maintain a profitable business. My long term relationship with this business needed the trust they cost me through this experience. I had the repair done elsewhere for less than a third of the cost quoted me.  I found someone else I could trust. 

Here came the twist. I know I can shop around and go to other businesses, and will and did. Why did this happen? Why did I need a simple repair done by a business who has known me for years and have such a wild outcome? The answer was because I believe it was about blessing. That was my surprise. I had a reputation with the business which should have caused them to consider my complaint.

A business without integrity operates under a curse. Customers are hurt, bitter, and create bad feelings in the community. Employees are hurt by the oppression of falsehoods, lies, and coverups.  I was put in the odd position of giving a business a choice – blessing or curse – integrity or unfair charges. I felt that God wanted to bless this business during my time in prayer. I was to take them an opportunity to be blessed in the forms of forgiveness and integrity. He wanted them to choose between integrity and unfair charges.

A repair business who has integrety has no lack in business. People will carve a path to their door. Their employees, knowing they have fair prices for fair work, do not have the oppression faced by employees of companies lacking integrity. The business, the employees, and the community would all profit from a business with integrity.  God’s way really works and works to benefit everyone in every direction. 

God wanted the business to choose the path that He could bless. I was choreographed into a situation because God wanted to bless a business so the business could be a blessing. His goal wasn’t judgment for punishment like we often think of Him. This twist is a change in perspective. We, as individuals, are often brought to a point of choice for the same reason, allow God to remove the curse so we can walk in His blessing. We punish ourselves through our wrong choices. God brings that to our attention so He can free us and bless us.