Epilogue
By the time I got home the family was asleep. I sat down at my computer and wrote out the interview. I must have been typing for 5-6 hours. There was so much material it seemed like the article kept going. Finally, after numerous pages, I pushed send and it was off to my editor.
An error message popped up on the screen.
I looked in disbelief. Did I just lose everything I wrote over the past several hours? Was my file saved? What was going on?
Then a message appeared on my screen…. “Just kidding Sam, you did a great job and I thank you for writing such a wonderful story. You really seemed to capture me, so thank you and I look forward to you joining my team.” Oh no I thought to myself. God can monitor my emails as well.
It was early in the morning, too early in the morning for a practical joke from the Lord, but I was starting to get the Lord’s sense of humor. I wasn’t tired at all. However, I felt I needed to get at least some sleep.
I went to bed and had the best sleep I have had in years. I woke up the next morning to the smell of coffee and pancakes. I love pancakes. I went downstairs and kissed my wife. She handed me the paper. She was so excited for me.
“How long have I been asleep?” I asked.
“For a while honey,” she responded.
I still was not sure if I might have been in a coma. Maybe I had had some crazy dream, and now I woke up and hoped the interview, meeting God, meeting Moses, and writing the article were real.
“You made the front-page honey…and also pages 2-20. It is a special issue all focused on you. That must have been some interview. I am so proud of you, God! You interviewed God? Oh my God!”
She was jumping up and down with excitement and dancing around the breakfast table.
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you, honey.”
“Yes, I would Sam. I have been reading your story all morning. Wow.”
“Oh, I have a present for you. I took out the box the Lord had given me.”
“That is so beautiful.” My wife said. “The craftsmanship is so exquisite. Did you get anything for the kids? They asked this morning before heading to school.”
“I think I have the best gift possible for them…lots of love and some wonderful stories they would not believe.”
“Oh Sam, you had a call earlier today on your cell. It was from New Jersey. No message was left but then a text message was sent. I do not understand what it means. The letters spelled v-a-y-i-k-r-a. What does that mean Sam.”
“I don’t know. Let me put it into Google translate.”
“But what language is it?”
The only thing I could think was that it must be Hebrew. I entered it in…. up popped up the translation from Google.
AND HE CALLED
The Lord was checking on me. He called me, like how he had called so many others over the years.
I checked my email and phone messages at work. 14,237 emails and just as many phone calls. God help me. While walking around trying to digest all the phone calls and emails I was receiving from throughout the world I decided to go for a walk. This was more attention than I thought I could handle. The Lord had mentioned the need for exercise, and he talked the talk with his ultra-workout. I put on my coat and stepped outside. I shook the cold from my shoulders and stuffed my hands into my pockets. I felt a piece of paper in one of the pockets. I pulled it out.
Printed nicely in “Israel, Inc.” letterhead- which had an etching of Moses holding the ten commandments on the top- were “The Keys to Leadership.” It read as follows:
Israel, Inc:
The Keys to LEADERSHIP
L- Listen– Listen to others and your inner voice. You know what is right and wrong. Be a vessel to hear the concerns of those in high places as well as those at the bottom. Each voice is important.
E-Energy– Approach every day and everything you do with enthusiasm. When you do something, do it with energy and speed. Managers should emulate sudden, deliberate, and meaningful action. There is a need to act on urgent matters, not every false emergency, but the true emergencies that can impact everyone.
A- Aptitude– You must develop your skills. Be the shepherd in the desert who has become the best possible shepherd. Eat, drink, and breathe excellence.
D- Devotion– You should be devoted to The Lord, your family, and your co-workers, in that order. Only thereafter should you be devoted to yourself. That does not mean you should not take care of your health, but you need to focus on taking care of others to take care of yourself. Devotion also means showing devotion to me.
E- Effort– Give your maximum effort. When you come to my pearly gates, I will ask you one question. For you, it will be, were you the best Sam possible? That means did you use your time, energy, resources, basically everything at your disposal to help the world and become the best possible person you had the potential to become? Effort also relates to the people a leader will lead.
R- Respect– Respect for others is equivalent to respect for oneself and respect for The Lord. Remember your focus should be on the poor— strangers, widows, orphans, the weak and downtrodden. You treat them with respect- you treat me and those close to you with respect. Let’s not forget that you must respect leaders, even if you disagree with them.
S- Safety– Everyone is looking for safety. That is one of the most important efforts you need to pursue. Those in your charge need to feel physically, fiscally, emotionally, and mentally safe. People need to feel safe that no one at work is there to take their reputation, ideas, trust, or dignity. Taking those are all examples of theft under the ten commandments. No one can feel safe if they feel they will be a victim.
H- Humility– Always remember that no matter how mighty you might become, you need to know that I accept no favorites and accept no bribes. However, I require humility as seen through the protection of the weak (such as the widow, orphan, and stranger). Remember, great leaders don’t get credit for the bad things that didn’t happen. That is their job. Leaders should take credit when they are able to get a win that was not expected and then share that with the team.
I- Integrity– Integrity matters. That will be the second question I will ask in Heaven…or another place if you do not answer the question correctly. Did you conduct your business with integrity? It is a simple yes or no question. Doing the right thing means being truthful to yourself, others, and me. When you speak to truth you display immense integrity? Truthfulness is a key for leaders.
P- Positive– If you cannot be positive, those around you will notice and suffer. All my prophets have been prophets of hope-helping to share that better days are ahead if people act correctly. A smile goes a long way and I purposely made people’s mouth the way I did to encourage smiling. Every moment is precious so live life with joy and passion. It is often the smallest things that bring us the most joy. Pursuing joy leads to love and positive leadership.
Love God
