The Good Customer Discount

This week a dryer went out in my house. The diagnosis was an overly clogged dryer vent. It is hard for me to believe that it has been four years since I had it cleaned. My, how time flies when you're living your life!! I contacted the company that had worked on it in the past. The serviceman who came had been to my house twice before. He told me after an hour or so blowing out lint that I would be getting the "good customer" discount. I was happy for the reduction in price, joking that I was indeed a good customer since my dogs hadn't bitten him and I had greeted him with a smile. But, then, I realized that I had an opportunity to be an even better customer.

During our conversation, I discovered that he had two children. I asked where they went to school. He said one was still in grammar school, but his daughter was a freshman in high school. Without prompting, he gave me a five minute description about how different public high school was now than when he was in school. He commented on unwed mothers with day-care centers for their children, politically correct gender clubs, the common practice of drugging boys with Ritalin, and the brainwashing that goes on that makes kids so ignorant they can't discern whether prospective political candidates are saying anything of value. I asked if he had ever considered private school. He said it had been a thought at one time, but the Catholic schools weren't close to where his family lived. I then asked if he and his wife had ever considered homeschooling. He took a deep breath and admitted that they were practically homeschooling now with all the extra work that they had to do to help their kids academically.

By the time he drove off, I had told him about the local Christian homeschooling convention that would be taking place in a couple of weeks and I had suggested he read The Harsh Truth About Public Schools. I told him that if he was still comfortable about having his kids in public schools after reading that book, at least he had full knowledge backing up his decision. He waved good-bye, not sure whether to thank me or not.

Many people feel they have little opportunity to influence the culture around them. I disagree. Normal life situations bring many people into our lives who need to hear the truth about institutions and organizations that oppose the Lord Jesus Christ. What better way to truly earn that "good customer" designation than by sharing with them information that will help them safeguard the health and future of their families. No, I didn't get a chance to share the full gospel with Nick, but I did steer him to two resources that are distinctively and deliberately Christian and that will eventually help him reach that destination.