“It’s bad, bad!” says the buyer, but then he goes away and boasts. Proverbs 20:14, TLV
What’s the Deal? Everyone loves a bargain. No one likes feeling they were “sold,” but they love buying. And no one likes feeling they paid too much or were cheated.
I know this proverb seems more like an observation rather than counsel, but for me, this verse is a practical lesson in business ethics and long-term relationship-building.
In my past careers, I worked for two companies as a negotiator. While the title might seem impressive, really, my job was to get the lowest rate or fare possible. And, I’m ashamed to admit, by any means possible.
At first, it felt good to get the lowest rate for my bosses and clients, but after a while the LORD convicted me that I was in dangerous territory. He then showed me a better way.
The new path meant more work for me — researching
market trends, futures, amount of product shipped or client usage — but the outcome was a win-win. The vendor still had a decent profit margin, and my client and bosses got a better rate than what they had. No one felt cheated.
Something else happened. Trust. The vendor and I built trust. The benefits of this type of relationship was that when I needed favors for my clients, the vendors were generally very gracious and generous. Conversations were professional and respectful.
That’s my takeaway from this proverb. What is yours?
