Lord, people depend on us for Strategy. Help me to not strive to be the smartest person in the room, but rather facilitate a process where various perspectives can be examined, evaluated and addressed. You were the master of understanding the environment and responding most advantageously. You were, to use our hackneyed phrase, able to think outside the box. When You came upon the Samaritan Woman, You understood her, grasped her environment and replied in a way that was so helpful that she told the whole town about you. John 4:1-24
There are so many inputs into our environment: finance, economics, supply chain, competition, marketing, politics and so forth. I really need wisdom to help our colleagues identify data from all these areas so that we can use our resources effectively to provide customers what they need and want in a way that is financially feasible. Make us worthy competitors who compete hard and fair. We hope to find our niches, so we can successfully provide employment and shareholder return.
I need your help to stay open to new ideas so not only do we come up with a better solution but provide satisfaction for those who are seeking them.
Section 2, Scripture: Proverbs 18:12-15; John 4:4-29
| Hebrew Scripture | New Testament |
| 12 Before a downfall the heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.
13 To answer before listening— that is folly and shame. 14 The human spirit can endure in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear? 15 The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out. Proverbs 18:12-15
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Jesus left Judea and returned to Galilee.
The Samaritan Woman.4 He had to pass through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of land that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6 Jacob’s well was there. Jesus, tired from his journey, sat down there at the well. It was about noon. 7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.”8 His disciples had gone into the town to buy food. 9 The Samaritan woman said to him, “How can you, a Jew, ask me, a Samaritan woman, for a drink?” (For Jews use nothing in common with Samaritans.) 10 Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you do not even have a bucket and the well is deep; where then can you get this living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us this well and drank from it himself with his children and his flocks?” 13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again; 14 but whoever drinks the water I shall give will never thirst; the water I shall give will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I may not be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.” 16Jesus said to her, “Go call your husband and come back.”17 The woman answered and said to him, “I do not have a husband.” Jesus answered her, “You are right in saying, ‘I do not have a husband.’18 For you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true.” 19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I can see that you are a prophet. 20 Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain; but you people say that the place to worship is in Jerusalem.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Believe me, woman, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22 You people worship what you do not understand; we worship what we understand, because salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth;* and indeed the Father seeks such people to worship him. 24 God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to him, “I know that the Messiah is coming, the one called the Anointed; when he comes, he will tell us everything.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I am he, the one who is speaking with you.” 27 At that moment his disciples returned, and were amazed that he was talking with a woman,* but still no one said, “What are you looking for?” or “Why are you talking with her? ”28 The woman left her water jar and went into the town and said to the people, 29 “Come see a man who told me everything I have done.” John 4:3-29 USCCB
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Section 3
You may wish to be silent for a few minutes.
Section 4
Offer prayer in your own words speaking to God who is for us, with us and in us.