What do St. Paul and St. Ignatius have in common with a salesman? Josef Rodriguez, S.J. reflects on how St. Ignatius helped people find God at work in their lives.
What do St Paul and St Ignatius have in common with salesmen?
Hi, I’m Josef Rodriguez, and this is my One-minute Reflection.
In our second reading, Paul tells the Corinthians that he is a steward of the Gospel and that when he preaches he should do so free of charge. He goes on to say, “I have become all things to all, to save at least some.”
St Ignatius encouraged Jesuits to use the tactic of “entering the door of the other and bringing them out through your own” when it came to leading souls closer to God.
Salesmen are taught a strategy called “mirroring.” When they are in contact with a potential client, they mirror some of the gestures, body language, and vocal tone of the person in front of them to gain their trust. It’s only human nature to trust someone who seems to be on the same wavelength as you are.
St Paul, St Ignatius and salesmen all have in common a sort of chameleon-like ability of observation, adaptability and creativity. Of course, we as Christians aren’t trying to “sell” the Gospel, nor do we want to be disingenuous. But we do want people to come into a deeper relationship with Christ. How creative and adaptable are we willing to be with our gifts and talents for the sake of spreading the Gospel?
