LAUNDRY OF LOVE
(PART 2)
By Christopher Quah
In part one of Laundry of Love (https://asianbeacon.org/laundry-of-love-part-1/), Jeremy Leow shared how God led him to meet the right people that helped jumpstart a career in the laundry business. In turn he has helped many others. In part two he continues sharing how he became a light in his industry.
“Throughout the years none of my employees ever asked for even a single extra cent. So, I know I can trust them, and they would not steal from me. I have even convinced my partner for a higher pay for them,” Jeremy said.
“As an employer, I believe workers deserve a sense of dignity. So, I will always talk to them nicely. Even when they do mistakes, I will correct them in a respectful way. And another thing that I do that most bosses don’t is I am open to hear them share their personal struggles with me. And this surprises them. Because as they told me, in their previous employment, they could never share their troubles to their bosses. But for me, they find it so easy to talk to me. For them, due to their previous working experience, bosses are people to be feared and not to befriend,” Jeremy quipped.
The result is, that Jeremy has had employees sharing their life troubles to him.
“Some even cried as they tell me the problems they face outside their work, such as family problems. I once helped my worker’s friend, whose husband had passed away and she was chased out of the home by her mother in law. Out of compassion, I gave her RM 50. Until today she still remembered what I did. She then found assistance from a local church. By treating my workers this way, I share the love of God more powerfully than preaching it, even with their friends. In fact, I have been asked a few times if I am a Christian by my workers without me ever having to tell them. It is my conduct which speaks the gospel message louder than words. I am glad that they can be exposed to the gospel through my lifestyle. Lifestyle evangelism is effective instead of you preaching to them and making them doubting God’s love due to your bad conduct,” Jeremy concluded.
He added that he also treats his contractors and suppliers the same way he treats the rest, with godly Christian values.
“Aside from my workers I also treat my contractors as how a Christian should. I treat my contractors with loyalty. Price undercutting is a real thing. There are rival contractors who approach me with lower prices. But I always tell them I don’t want to change my contractors. This is because of a strong working friendship I have made with my current contractors. But don’t get me wrong. I am not against cost saving. But for me saving cost is secondary. Working relationship is primary. In return for my loyalty these contractors will go all the way to help me when an emergency arises. For instance, when my one of my dryers went out of gas, they are willing to help me at the expense of their convenience. They trust me for if I am not around to pay for their service, they always say to my workers that tell me to bank in the money later to them,” Jeremy declared.
Another way which Jeremy chose to become a shining light through his business is to channel his profits into charity. And he also helps fund church ministries with his profits.
“Churches often focus their attention on those in the full-time ministry. They often highlight and pray for people to go into full time those in the ministry, and into the mission field. But there are also the unsung heroes of the church who can fund these things. Those who have the money and, in the position, to give. They may not be in the field, but they are used by God to provide funds for ministries,” Jeremy explained.
As such Jeremy believes that his current success is not only a blessing from God but also as a strategic posting of God for him to be a light to the business world around him as well as a financier for His work.
“You don’t have to be in full ministry to do God’s work. In fact, the marketplace itself is a ministry. Like me now being a boss and owner gives me a sphere of influence. In order to have influence, we must have position, this is for sure. Even in the Bible, you see God will always raise up leaders in their own sphere of influence. This is not that God blesses them because they are good, but because He wants godly people to be placed in positions that can help and influence all those around them. The relationship with my workers, customers, and contractors points to that,” Jeremy added.
He concludes that to run a business in a godly manner, one must put people first not money.
“Putting relationship above money, this is how you become a light to the world. If there is the need to share the gospel and the Holy Spirit prompts you to share then do it. Otherwise let your life be the message. No one preached a single message accept Jesus. I chose to accept Jesus, by observing how Christians live their life, a life better than the rest of the world. And when I went to a camp when the speaker asked us to give Jesus a try, I gave it shot. It changed my life forever,” Jeremy testified.
