ZIG, 1926 – 2012

As a young business owner there was not any man I admired and desired more to emulate than Zig Ziglar. His book, "See You at the Top" sat on both my bed-stand AND desk - and I referred to it often. I even sent him a gift once - sent from my agency to his North Dallas Headquarters - trying to get his attention with some salesmanship of my own. The gift came to him in a finely wrapped box complete with ribbon and note, and inside was a cassette and player (something quite familiar to his own market and trade) but with my voice greeting him to extol the virtues of D. Samuel Dennis Co., Advertising, and why he should consider giving us a shot as his companies agency representative of choice.

Yes, I was a decided ZIG fan! But... beyond all the times I'd heard him speak and above all the ways I was prone to admire him - as businessman, salesman, motivational speaker, and committed Christian - his greatest message to me was something I was to hear in quite a different way. Something I was to witness over these last 20 years as I was blessed to live near him in the same community. A message quieter than all others but oh so powerful - and one to which I was finally most drawn. THAT was Zig's faithful love and devotion to his wife, the woman he called, his "REDHEAD."

Below is an excerpt from Zig's website, taken from an article he wrote, The New Decision Close, in which he describes his proposal to Jean, something he would call 'his best decision ever'.

"I asked that Redhead of mine (she is a "decided" redhead, meaning that one day she just decided to be a redhead!) to marry me and she said no. I asked her the second time; she said no. Third time, no. Fourth time, no. Fifth time, no. Sixth time, yes. No, she did not change her mind. What she did was very simple. She made a new decision based on the new information which produced a new feeling."

From: Secrets of Closing the Sale
© 1984 Zig Ziglar
Published by Fleming H. Revell
PHS-018-005022
Visit Zig Ziglar's Website: http://www.ziglar.com

Occasionally Belinda and I would run into Zig and Jean at Luby's, and he - always so courteous and kind - would eventually assign our conversation to the joys of being in love with one woman, forever, and for always. Zig absolutely loved Jean! And she knew it! And if ever there was any better example of a man following Ephesians 5:25 and a woman positively responding to such, neither Belinda or I could recall it. 

Now the folks who worked at Luby's probably didn't know the Ziglar's as 'famous'. They likely didn't realize that Zig was honored and recognized the world over. They just knew them as 'that cute couple,' who were always smiling, laughing, and holding hands.  And that seemed to make our seeing them there even more special.  No performance.  The real thing! 

Yes, I suspect that if we could talk to Zig right now and ask him about his life, he'd point to two decisions that changed things for him forever. The first, would be his decision to make Christ His Savior and to serve Him with all his might. But the second, I believe, would be his grace to meet and decision to marry his wife, Jean - and then follow this in the joyful occupation, everyday, of 'staying in love' with his 'decided redhead.'  So that his final message to this man - born just one generation behind - was this...it's not just how you start or how you do along the way, but it's how you finish that counts!  And, well.... Zig finished swell. Holding tight onto the two very wonderful things he began with so long ago - one met in Yazoo City and the other in Jackson - his LORD and his Bride.  And THAT'S a message worth listening to, still.   

Well done, Zig!  

Pastor Sam