The Wind Beneath My Wing

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The Hot Dog Stand

October 12th, 2008 · 5 Comments

There is a story I heard long ago from the president of a large company which was going through some difficult times.   It was a story of a man who had a famous hot dog stand.  He sold tens of thousands of hot dogs every year.   Although  he had little or no formal education, he was very successful.
One day his son came home.   His son, unlike his father, was highly educated.  He had a college degree from a great university.   He told his father that the economy was bad and that things were bad.  People were losing their jobs and things were very difficult.  His father could not relate to what the son was talking about.  The hot dog business was doing great.  Sales were exceptional and profits were at a peak.  The father began thinking about his son and all of his education.  After all, his son had a college degree.  He wanted to know more.
The son then said, ” Dad you need to improve your business.”  His dad asked, “How?”  His son said, “Well, you do not need to sell such high quality hot dogs when a cheaper version would do.”   His dad thought a moment and realized his son was educated and he could make even more money than he was already making.  He decided to follow his son’s advice.
So the son went back to the city and the dad went back to selling hot dogs.  At first, the hot dog business was as good as usual.  The owner of the hot dog stand did not even notice the tiny trickle of customers who began to disappear.   They could tell the meat was not the same and the dogs just did not taste as good.  The dad even called the son and surprised him with congratulations of his wisdom.  After all, he was making so much more money now than he ever was.   His son then mentioned maybe he did not need to use the expensive relish or the highest quality of cheese for his customers.  The dad thought, my son is college educated and so smart, certainly this must be correct.
So the next week he changed his order from his supplier to the cheaper cheese and relish.  He was so happy his business would prosper even more.  It was about another two weeks when the owner of the hot dog stand noticed  the lunch crowd was a little light but he decided maybe everyone was busy just doing something else.   The following week, though, he began to wonder as fewer and fewer customers seemed to come back to have lunch.  He began to see how right his son was about the economy.
He called and told his son.   The son said to him, ” Dad this is what I have been trying to tell you.  Times are bad and business is bad.  I see it in the city where I live nearly every day.”  The dad hung his head and thought,  my son is so smart with all of the education he has why did I not see this sooner.   A few weeks later the old man, tired and defeated decided to close his hot dog stand.
Today in America we are bombarded with the news that things are bad.   Nothing can take the place of good hard work and good quality products.  Our Christian heritage plus hard work and quality is what has made America great.
Jeremiah Chapter 29:11 says, “I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”    Remember, who is in charge.  He has big plans for you to prosper.   He has big plans for your future.   The Creator of the universe has a plan for you to prosper, have hope and a future.   The One who walked on water,  calmed the storm,  parted the Red Sea, spoke the universe into existence has a plan for you, to prosper.
Steven A. Johnson (c)

Tags: Thoughts

5 responses so far ↓

  • 1 Where Has the Fall Gone? : Techinnoventure // Dec 2, 2008 at 11:19 pm

    […] to talk about. I heard a great parable a few weeks back about a man with a hot dog stand. The hot dog stand story is referenced in a more extended version in some places but the short summary is that a father with […]

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