When all the men of Israel saw the man, they fled from him and were greatly afraid. The men of Israel said, “Have you seen this man who is coming up? Surely he is coming up to defy Israel. And it will be that the king will enrich the man who kills him with great riches and will give him his daughter and make his father’s house free in Israel.” Then David spoke to the men who were standing by him, saying, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and takes away the reproach from Israel?”
1 Samuel 17:24-26
What Goliath are you facing today? David was opportunity-oriented—he could sense a divine appointment when it showed up on his path. While visiting his brothers on Israel’s battlefield, he noticed a reoccurring problem that no one could solve. The Philistine army taunted Israel daily by challenging their bravest to face Goliath, but no one had the courage to meet the challenge.
What do you see that no one else sees? Within your sphere of influence, there is someone who has a need you are uniquely equipped to meet. What problem has God given you a unique insight into? God will often arrange a public performance of your abilities like He did with David when He wants to advance you.
Opportunity is created through problem-solving. John W. Gardner, former Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, said, “We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as insolvable problems.” Is there a king in the marketplace you work for that has a Goliath-sized problem?
In PERSUADE, I discuss the importance of meeting needs in business. Every person has visible and invisible needs. The visible need is why they meet with you, and the invisible need is why they will buy from you. When you become sensitive to discovering the needs around you and how to meet them, doors of opportunity swing open for you. Without a need to meet or a problem to solve, it will be difficult to make a sale, get promoted, get noticed, or increase your influence. Meeting needs and problem-solving is one of the greatest ways to add value to others and increase your influence with them. Zig Ziglar said, “You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help enough other people get what they want.”
REFLECT TO CONNECT
- What needs around you have you become sensitive to?
- Is there a situation God has given you a unique insight to?
- Whom do you feel an unction to call today and inquire as to what they are facing?
Every person carries within them visible and invisible needs.
The visible needs are why they are meeting with you.
The invisible needs, when met by you, are why they will follow you.
