Shortly after starting her perfume business Estée Lauder realised that in order to reach the public she would have to persuade a cosmetics buyer to place her products in stores throughout the country. One day at 9 am Lauder went to the offices of the American Merchandising Corporation and waited to see their cosmetics buyer. Since Lauder had no appointment she was advised to come back another day. “I don’t mind waiting”, said Lauder. “I’ll wait until she has a free moment.”
Sales people came and went. At lunchtime the receptionist said their schedule was so full that getting to see her would be impossible. Again Lauder persisted, “I’ll wait a little longer.” At 5.15 pm the cosmetics buyer came out of her office and talked things over with Lauder.

Now all of this has a profound spiritual application. Often people comment that Christianity is growing and spreading at a phenomenal rate in most parts of the world – except for Britain and Western Europe. That’s right, while churches close down across the UK; churches are being built at an amazing rate in many other parts of the world.

Here in the UK people are apathetic because “the Product” has been represented in a very different way from this Biblical picture. Here God is often thought of as simply being a “God of love” who isn’t much concerned about how you live your life. The widespread belief is that God doesn’t require much from us and everyone goes to heaven even if they have ignored God all their life, with the possible exception of Hitler and Stalin! No wonder churches are empty and no wonder so few make the effort to get really close to God in their heart.
Estée Lauder was persistent because she understood the truth about the value of her product. African and Chinese Christians are the same – they are devoted to their Lord and Maker because they know and understand what God is really like – infinitely Holy as well as infinitely loving and that repentance and a faithful life is the only way to prepare for the Day of Judgement.
The reason why churches are full and expanding in many countries and yet empty here is no secret – it’s all down to how people perceive “the Product”. Let us make sure that the kind of God we believe in is the Biblical God – to believe anything else is a dangerous deception which will lead to spiritual apathy and finally spiritual death. 1st Corinthians ch6 vs 9-10 is a warning to us all.