The Walton Way

The Walton Way

By Grant Gaines

Walmart is one of the biggest, most profitable companies in the entire world. In the USA alone, Walmart records roughly $280 billion worth of sales per year. This means that every day the average Walmart store in America generates $153,000 of sales which is anywhere from 2-4 times as much as the other supermarkets in the country¹!

But you would never know how successful of a cooperation Walmart was if you looked at the lifestyle of its founder, Sam Walton. Walton was famous for being a frugal and hardworking leader. By the time Sam died in 1992, Walmart’s annual revenue was roughly $50 billion. But this didn’t change the fact that Sam still drove his same old, beaten up pickup truck that could be easily identified by the chicken wire cage that was in the truck’s bed to house his birddogs. It also didn’t change the fact that Sam always demanded that he fly coach anytime he had to travel rather than paying for or accepting a free upgrade to first class.

In his autobiography, Sam described his mindset when he wrote, “I feel it’s up to me as a leader to set an example. It’s not fair for me to ride one way and ask everyone else to ride another way. The minute you do that, you start building resentment, and your whole team idea begins to strain at the seams².”

No matter the money or fame that Sam accumulated over his lifetime, he always remained the same humble and hardworking guy he was before he ever opened his first Walmart store.

We love hearing stories like that because they give us a great example of someone who never let the spotlight get to their heads like it can for so many other celebrities or powerful businessmen. Walton stayed rooted and never forgot where he came from or what was important to him. But what Sam did is nothing new. King David demonstrated the same humble and faithful qualities in 1 Samuel 17.

David was anointed as the second king of Israel by the prophet Samuel in 1 Samuel 16 and then appeared back on the scene for the famous underdog fight of the ages when he dropped Goliath to his knees with one single stone. David went on to become one of the most significant characters in the Old Testament and for the entire Jewish religion for that matter. However, the secret to David’s success started way before he ever strapped on his sling to take on Goliath that day as can be seen from two short sentences earlier that same chapter.

It’s important to remember that at this point in the story David had already been anointed as the king-in-waiting (1 Samuel 17). David had every right in the world to move his family and possessions to the capital of Jerusalem and live a life of comfort and ease as he awaited the current king (Saul) to pass away so he could rightfully claim his crown. However, 1 Samuel 17:15 (NIV) tells us that rather than taking it easy, “…David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father’s sheep in Bethlehem.”

Two things need to be pointed out in the above verse. First off, David was one of Saul’s servants. You’ll likely remember that David would play a harp for the king whenever Saul got in a bad mood or just needed some relaxing music to calm his nerves. But what’s even more significant about that verse is that David, while he was the king-in-waiting and one of Saul’s personal servants, still took the time to care for his flock of sheep. He was essentially the second most powerful man in the world but still remembered his flock that he loved and had tended to for so many years.

It’s easy to glaze over that sentence because it gets quickly lost in all the action of the battle between David and Goliath, but I truly believe that was what made David such a great leader and a man after God’s own heart – because he never forgot where he came from and what was important to him. David, just like Sam Walton, never got too big for his britches but remembered his sheep.

I believe God desires for us to live with the same attitude as David and Sam Walton when we are presented with an opportunity to advance at our workplace, get a new responsibility at home, or join a new ministry at church.

This means that with every opportunity, we need to ask ourselves several pointed questions: “Will this new role, task, or opportunity cause me to forget where I’ve come from or those that matter the most to me?” “Will this step up cause me to step out on my family or friends?” “Will I still have time to spend ‘shepherding’ whatever ‘flock’ God has entrusted me with?”

If the answer to any of those questions is “yes,” then that is not where God wants you…no matter how much money they’re offering you, no matter how pretty that girl is, or no matter how great a position that would be – if you won’t have time to tend your flock, that’s not the place you need to be right now. Instead, God wants you to be in a spot where you always have time for your “sheep” which are your loved ones, your friends, quality time with the Lord every day, time to keep your body in good physical shape, and so on. The Lord will never take you to a place where you have to sacrifice what is indispensable for what is exciting. He will never ask you to sacrifice your sheep for the spotlight.

So as you are considering where God wants you to go next, don’t forget your sheep!

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©Grant Gaines 2016