Every Person You Meet

I like selling drugs.

No you don't have to be worried, or ask me to go on that A&E show 'intervention.' I mean the legal kind. Pharmaceuticals - Rx only.

But sometimes the grind of the job gets to me. I am an 'attitude' person. With virtually everyone I meet, regardless of the words they say to me, their attitude/non-verbals are how I listen to them. I just ask for those i encounter to be civil and polite to me - show a little basic respect. Not a lot, just a little. Human decency.

Most docs are busy. Some, due to insurance companies lowering reimbursement, have to see as many as 3 patients in 15 minutes. Not much 'care' in those situations. They are forced to do that, most of the time. - Then, there are 90,000 drug reps in the US and each one is trying to see the docs I am trying to see.

Therein lies the rub.

I come home some days to find myself angry and bitter, because I have been treated like a second rate UPS guy (now I know how the DHL man feels - sorry DHL dudes). The fact that reps may have valuable information escapes the thoughts of many physicians. (Probably because so many reps waste their time.)

Thus, you have me (knows a little about science and vulnerable to negative body language) and Dr Curewhatillsme (sees 50 patients a day and doesn't need to learn anything else) trying to interact. Doesn't happen.

I vent to my wife about how rude some of my customers and their staffs are. But she reminded me of something very important: being a rep is how I get paid, but my job is to love people.

Hmmmmm. I hate when she is right.........She said, 'how many people do you make contact with every day? If you brighten even 1 person's day, or make them wonder why you are different, that is a successful day!'

She's right. Whatever we do to earn a paycheck isn't our job. It just pays the bills. But since we spend so much time doing it, we need to find our higher purpose - to love one another, and glorify the Lord while doing it. Maybe you are in business, or finance, and work in a cubicle...punching numbers all day, and feel like you are 'making the rich man richer.' So what??? Keep doing it - and let than be your ministry tool. If we could all do that and spread the love of God, think of the lives changed.

Thanks, babe, for encouraging me. I love you.
-josh