Special Kind of Giving
I am writing this blog entry from Washington, D.C. where I am attending The National Summit on Paid Sick Days and Paid Family Leave. People from over 12 states are here advocating for Paid Sick Days.
One of the first things that would make a business owner hesitant to give an employee paid sick days, is that they can’t afford to do that. I met a small business owner here at the Summit that has such a tremendous testimony. Makini Howell, from Seattle, Washington, a restaurant owner, shared this with us at the Summit:
“I’m a small business owner and I’ve grown up in a small business. My parents started our business in 1972 and they raised us as entrepreneurs. I run three restaurants in Seattle and a commercial kitchen on Capitol Hill and we employ 30 people. All of us get sick from time to time and when my employees are sick I don’t want them to be thinking, “Can I really afford to take a day off or should I just go to work. I am not going to be able to pay the rent?” For me, the cost I can’t afford is losing good employees.
Investing in employees is investing in the most valuable asset a business has. I , for one, don’t want to serve you up HINI with your fries. And I’m willing to spend pennies to do that.
This restaurant owner decided to “give” something to her employees. Makini put herself and her business to receive some blessings by giving. I asked her what has happened as a result of giving her employees paid sick days? She shared with me that her employees were happy and because they didn’t have to worry if they happened to get sick how they were going to pay their bills. But Makini shared this with me also. She had an increase in customers. Her giving not only provided a sense of security for her employees but the Lord also increased her business!
Luke 6:38 says “Give and it shall be given unto you…” Whenever you operate God’s principles’ in any area, the Lord will keep His Word. Makini didn’t allow fear to come upon her and see if she spent more she was going to lose out. She felt it was more important to give to her employees. Even though she was releasing more money, she didn’t lose but gain! Isn’t that just like the Lord!
