Vetting Clients With a Spirit of Penance
“If you judge people, you have no time to love them” (St. Teresa of Kolkata).
At your first meeting with a prospective client, it’s important to vet, at least to see whether they are compatible with you and your list of services. This vetting may include anything from whether they demonstrate trustworthiness, have a reasonable budget, or reveal the right character attributes. This information can be a swift deciding factor for entering into a contract or dodging a taxing situation. Although strict cut-off points for high-risk clients can keep us from damaging our brand or other disaster, we should be cautious about always defaulting to this level of scrutiny.
A Hidden Vantage Point
Before I understood that the richest treasures can be found within the deepest trenches of the earth, I always worked to avoid having to deal with difficult clients. Strangely enough, I can’t recall how many times what I thought was a great fit turned out to be a nightmare halfway through a project. Yet, I can remember a client who was furiously disorganized and showed up late but who turned out to be relentlessly thankful. This client was gracious enough to write me a lengthy and glowing email review.
I wouldn’t say this happens in every commitment, but when it does, it warms my soul, enough that it has started changing my outlook on vetting clients. You and a difficult client can unearth a remarkable dynamic with unanticipated graces. Not only is there an opportunity for you to deliver a successful project, but it is empowering when you can transform their disposition.
Appointed Mortification
Yet, before there is fruit, there is the adversity of labor. Fortunately, we can never run short of penances for the reparation of sins, and we should never make it a point to oppose them. It is crucial to our faith that we find ways to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice. Acts of penance are the last component of the sacrament of Reconciliation—which we can extend throughout our life to expiate our sins. We can often see in retrospect that when we endeavor through difficult introductions or lend our service joyfully, it can spiritually free us and, potentially, the habits of our clients.
The process of mortification involves dying to ourselves through our sense of control—so we must be ready to greet our executioner. If someone is ill-mannered or cold and closed off, we can choose to offer more hospitality. Where there is evil will abound more grace (Romans 5:20).
After I met one client’s third snub with sympathy (asking if they wanted a glass of water before we began), they paused, changed their tone, and said, “Wow, thank you.” They were surprised when I turned the other cheek with kindness, and I was shocked by their sudden change in attitude. We both smiled and carried on, and the client became so peaceful after that encounter.
People often unintentionally mimic the mood with which we serve them. It’s also important to understand that if we are not careful, our distance with certain clients can beget distance from God. These clients are an opportunity to grow in humility, which can also play a role in our professional maturity. When we accept obstacles with a little more uncertainty, we leave room for God’s hand to play a bigger role in our work.
Prepare Another Seat for Divine Intervention
As we can never truly foresee what results may come from a first meeting, we must provide space for God to work in His mysterious ways, helping to cement our faith in His authority. If we are to surrender as true disciples to the will of God, we must seize the opportunity that challenges give us. These conscious trials activate our faith and make our reliance on God bolder. Even if the end is unsuccessful, it can help us be more modest, shedding away hidden traces of pride or arrogance.
This is how God purifies us—knowing that He will be molding something great through much discipline.
When we offer the gift of penance while vetting potential clients, the blessings from God may not be immediate. Sometimes, the results of an interaction may be three years down the line or only gloriously bestowed in the eternity of Heaven. It’s all within God’s providence if we can reject worldly entitlement and strive to see Christ in every person we encounter.
God does not like a willful soul any more than we like a controlling client. We should trust in the Holy Spirit to take the reins and manage all working details of our client relationships. “There is one lawgiver and judge who is able to save and to destroy. Who then are you to judge your neighbor?” (James 4:12).
Berthe Emmanuella Antoine is an interior designer who sees no distinction between her work life and devotion to God. She fine tunes others on how to create beautiful habitations in Christ from their domestic surroundings to the innermost parts of their being. Her rule of life has led her to launch INTERIOREM VITAM, a Catholic decor blog and boutique with a sleek and classic aesthetic. She is forever whisked away into the intricacies of hidden devotions and the silence of the interior life. She hopes to build a fruitful community around the brand’s mobile app. Feel free to join and start a conversation with your comments.