How Would Jesus Collect a Past-Due Invoice?

Seems I can recall a comedian once said that all he wanted was a clear sign or message from God, like a large deposit in his name in a Swiss bank.

With respect, if he were here today, how would Jesus collect on a past due invoice? The problem, for me, is that he is not going to come out with a simple statement like ‘God wants you to pay your bills on time.’ Instead, he is going to use a parable, he’s going to tell a story and with any luck, the person on the other end of the telephone is going to ‘get it’.

Perhaps he would share the parable of ‘The lost coin’ and the joy of the woman who finds it. Somehow, I can even see the parable of ‘The Unjust Judge’ being woven into a story of persistence and not giving up.

Why a story? Why a parable?

People do not readily use logic when paying or not paying their bills. Most of our debt is not incurred based on logic. ‘Wouldn’t you look great in this car, this suit, this house?’

There is pressure on us in the business of Accounts Receivable. The less time we spend with our clients and customers, the more we shift towards logic vs emotions. Take a walk in their shoes (or sandals in this case) and try to make more time for the latter.

If it’s late in the day and there is pressure to make a deadline, Jesus might be talking about how it is not your money and ‘render’ it to who it is owed, and if you get on the wrong side of him in a conversation he might just say, ‘if you don’t pay, I’m gonna’ tell my dad!’

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A special thanks to those of you kind enough to test my ‘quirky’ sense of humor and provide valuable suggestions on this chapter. It is not my intention to offend.

From The Man from Galilee who might threaten to tell his father, to the Doctor from Vienna who wants to know what you think about your mother. Join us next chapter on How Would Sigmund Freud Collect a Past Due Invoice. Won’t that be fun?