What Is Your Penguin?

So how did I end up selling candy bars in the men’s bathroom?  

Well, I’m glad you asked…Penguins!

What?  You need more explanation?  

You see, I have a 6 year old daughter!

Six year old daughters go to school.

Principals aren’t stupid.

Schools need money.

Fundraisers make money.

Schools have a built in fundraising sales force.

Children don’t care about raising money for school.

Children love cheap, achievement based prizes.

Parents hate selling stuff.

Parents love their children.

Parents sell stuff so they don’t have to see sad eyes and a bottom lip.

The other day my daughter brought home a permission slip we had to sign saying we agreed to turn our daughter into part of her school’s sales force.  The incentive for her is a penguin toy that hangs around her neck on a lanyard and an hour of play time in a bouncy house for every box of candy she sells.

It could be worse, I could be schlepping $7 rolls of Christmas paper or overpriced, under flavored tubs of cookie goo.  At least it is chocolate.  Everyone is susceptible to coco vulnerability on occasion, and its only $1 a bar. 

I remember selling the exact same brand of candy at my school over 20 years ago as a sophomore to help raise money for something so important I don’t even remember what it was for anymore.  I’m sure I ended up eating at least half and paying for it myself.  Or, as it will probably be in the case of this sale, the child ate and the parents paid for it.

 I picked up my daughter from school and she was determined to get a jump on her sales quota so she brought them in to work with me.  I work at a church with a daycare so she immediately started hitting up everyone she saw.  She decorated the inside of the box to help drive sales.  She then proceeded to stand out in the hallway with several candy bars in hand trying to draw people into her sales speed trap with her cuteness. 

I headed into the hallway only to be accosted by my daughter, asking me, “Daddy, stay with me!”

“I can’t honey, I’m heading to the bathroom.”

An innocent enough statement…at least I thought it was.

“Daddy, take some of my candy in there so if you see someone you can try to sell them some!”

WHAT!!!!!!!!  Clearly she doesn’t understand the code of the men’s bathroom.  Talking is discouraged but reluctantly accepted around the sink but conversation stalls as you enter the stalls.  I didn't want to take them but in my daughter’s eyes, there was a penguin at stake.  What was I to do?  So I took candy bars and headed toward the bathroom.  I felt sure I would be alone but knew if someone was in there I would be forced into an awkward conversation at best.  Much to my delight and her dismay I had to turn on the light, virtually ensuring no chocolate sales in the men’s room.

Isn’t it funny how when we are properly motivated, we will go to about any length to accomplish our task?  

For my daughter, all that was required was a toy penguin.  As believers, we are all commissioned, or given the task, by Christ to tell others about Him.

Mt 28:19-20 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.

So what is your penguin?  What is it as a believer that will motivate you to do whatever is necessary to accomplish your God given task?