“These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open” (Revelation 3:7, NIV).
Picture a long hallway with a hundred doors. Behind some of them, somebody has been waiting for you to knock. Behind others, nobody’s home, at least not today. You don’t know which is which until you knock.
Salespeople call this the doorway rule, and there’s wisdom in it for fundraisers. A lot of us in get stuck on door one. We knock, wait, knock again, leave a note, come back tomorrow, and knock a third time. Meanwhile there are doors down the hall that would have opened on the first try, if we’d just kept walking and knocking.
Who Holds the Keys
Revelation 3:7 says Jesus opens what no one can shut, and shuts what no one can open. That takes a weight off. We walk the hallway, knock in good faith, and leave the opening to him. He has been at work in that donor’s life for years, long before your name showed up on their caller ID. When a door stays shut, it may simply be the wrong season for that donor, and letting it stay shut is good stewardship of your time and theirs.
Moving On Without Going Cold
Following up a fourth time after someone has gone quiet is usually about your nerves, not their need. Let the door stay shut. Just remember who is standing behind it. Every donor is a person made in God’s image, so move on with grace.
Jeff spent three months getting a meeting with Dan, an alumnus with a lot of giving capacity. Dan was gracious and direct. His giving had shifted to his church’s school, and he didn’t see that changing. Jeff thanked him for the honesty, asked what the school was building, and moved Dan to the cultivate-later list. They still trade Christmas cards. Jeff could have spent another six months on Dan. He spent that fall on eleven other alumni instead, and two of them said yes.
Sit Down Before You Ask
When someone does answer, don’t walk in and pitch. Sit down and listen. Ask about their story and what God has been doing in their life. The trust you build in that first hour outlasts any single gift.
Some Doors Take Seasons
A no today is not always a no forever. You learn which is which by staying close, so stay close. Put them on the newsletter, send a note when their name shows up in the news, and check back in a year. Some doors open on the first knock. Some take a few knocks and a few years. Either way, keep walking the hallway in faith.
Think About This: Which door have you been standing at too long, hoping persistence alone will open it? And which door might already be open, waiting for you to notice and walk through?
Response: Lord, you hold the keys. Teach me to knock in faith. Give me patience for the doors that take time, and wisdom to know when to move on in peace. Let every knock be an act of love. Amen.
