Back in December of last year, about two weeks before the launch of New Beginnings Church, I go to LifeWay Christian Bookstore to purchase Communion supplies. My goal was to ensure that we were ready for Communion on the first Sunday of the year.
When the sales associate rings up the supplies, the total comes to $409.55. Then I say, “Um, I’m a pastor. And, uh, don’t you offer a minister’s discount?”
She replies, “Yes, but it doesn’t apply to Communion supplies. It only applies to books and curriculum. The computer won’t even let me ring it up at a discount.”
In response, rather than walk away and accept this as reality, I ask her, “Well, can you at least try? Because if the computer is not supposed to let you do it, then it won’t let you do it, right?”
She says, “Well, I can try.”
So she punches a button, and then says, “Oh my God! It let me do it! . . . I’m going to have to check with the manager to see if it’s okay to give you the discount!”
I wait patiently, praying under my breath.
She calls the manager to the front, and explains to him what happened.
He says, “Oh, just let him have it for the discounted price.”
So rather than pay $409.55, I pay $327.64! And just in case you’re doing the math, that’s a difference of $81.91! Praise the LORD!
My point? Sometimes the only difference between having what you want and not having what you want is asking for what you want.
According to James 4:2, “You have not, because you ask not.”