“Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not
your own lips” (Proverbs 27:2).
My many years of owning and operating an ad agency taught me that
“positioning” was defined as a place or position that a product,
service, or person held in the mind of the audience. We knew that
often perception was reality for people, regardless of what the truth
was. For years I spent time and money seeking to position our company
in the minds of our prospective clients. Although it would seem that
is a natural and logical marketing function, I later discovered there
is a dangerous flaw when we attempt to position us by promoting our
own attributes. I discovered that positioning is a byproduct of who we
are and what we do, not an end in itself.
David was my first biblical lesson in coming to understand the
difference. Here was a man who had committed adultery, murder, and
failed many times in his family life. Yet, God Himself describes David
as a “man after God’s own heart.” Isn’t that interesting? Why would
God describe someone who had obviously failed in many areas as one who
was after God’s own heart? Throughout the life of David, we find these
frequent descriptions made by God: “And the fame of David spread
throughout the land.” “And God made David famous among the people.”
Although David did make many mistakes, David had a heart that was soft
toward God and sought to praise God. He wrote the majority of the
Psalms. It was what was in David’s heart that God honored, not his
perfection. I believe that God’s strategic placement of David “for
such a time as this,” was so that we may learn from and be drawn to
the attribute of David that God primarily wanted him known for: a
heart bent toward Him. His “positioning” was a byproduct of who he
was, not an end in itself. In our business and personal life, our
positioning among those who will know us should be a byproduct of our
life and service, not an end itself.
What is your “position” today among your peers? I asked my Bible study
group one time to ask others what they think of when your name is
mentioned. This exercise might bring some interesting revelations. It
might motivate you to make some changes, or it might confirm that God
is doing a great work in you.