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Your nearest shell station is less than five miles away. And we continue with our American stories, and now it's time for our Faith in Action series. where we tell stories about how people of faith live it out in the public square. And today's edition features Ralph Steyer. the founder of the number one sausage brand in America.
Johnsonville Sausage. Here's Ralph. I have a couple stories for you. Like three stories for you. The first one is I struggle.
Having grown up Catholic. I've never been taught that wealth is a sin. And it's easier for a camel to get through an eye of a needle than it is for a rich person to get to heaven. and carrying that baggage around. I always worried about that.
And I prayed and prayed and prayed to the Lord, should I give it all away and go to Africa? Should I live in a one-room apartment? What should I do, Lord? What should I do? Because I feel guilty.
I feel guilty. They haven't become so successful. One day about 15 years ago, After having prayed and prayed and prayed. I'm sitting at my desk one Friday afternoon reading our link letter, which is our. bi-monthly publication to all of our people.
And on the front page, of the link letter. There's a story about one of our mechanics. who had just come back from Hong Kong with his wife. having adopted a special needs child. And I looked at that.
And this wave came over me. this incredible wave of power. And it was the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit, and he said to me. Ralph.
Don't you see that you're doing exactly what I want you to do? You're You're providing this opportunity. For people? to do great works because of what you're doing here. And And the way you run your business and and and the values.
He's just, you're doing you're I put you here for a reason. The only thing you're not doing is you're not giving me enough credit. And so. Uh yeah. came down after about 15 minutes because It was the most, this is the most incredible experience of my life.
And Monday morning, I met with our strategy team, and I think 14 other people besides me. And every two weeks we do it, it just so happened.
So I had thought about this all weekend. And started by telling these people a story. About What happened? And after I told the experience, I said, Do any of you people ever worry about are you serving God at work? Fourteen hands went up.
Every person. Put their hand up. Worry about do they serve God at work. NMC.
Well, I guess then we have to talk about What does a company look like that serves God at work? And it turns out We're doing a pretty darn good job. And we started talking about it. He said, we have to emphasize it more, we have to build it into what we talk about because... You know, you really shouldn't be talking about God.
You know, oh my gosh, you might turn some people off.
Well I say the heck with them. Cool. My job, God put me here. Two. Create this or to do this.
Because this The funny thing is, the 14 people are sitting around that table all felt the same way I did.
So That came after twenty years. of the Johnsonville way. of starring the Johnson Louis. And the basis of the John Solway is How do we Use the business to build people. instead of using the people to build the business.
And that would be I mean how I see that. I'm sure I was guided on this one too. Is that We were put on this earth. to do two things. And I know this is true because We have companies all over Asia, all over people in South America.
Uh Europe all over.
Okay. And they all have the same two basic things hardwired into them. The first one is that they want to develop their talents. And they want to succeed so they could, not just for themselves, but for their families and for everything around them. They want to help others do the same thing.
And that's what makes us happy. Because we're fulfilling, we're not going against how we're wired. And I don't care where we are. The Joswell culture works everywhere because That's how God made us.
So When you understand that piece, Then The job of Johnsonville. is the challenge and help A coach and awaken in people that spirit because in many cases that's They've been told they can't do it. They've been told they shouldn't do it. They bid. There are a lot of people grown up in ways where they haven't had that opportunity or that challenge.
And that spirit within them hasn't been awakened.
Well, at Johnsonville, we awaken that spirit. and we have set the business up. to encourage people to learn and grow, to take more responsibility, develop their talents.
however that is, whether they wind up at Johnsonville or not. If they get a bigger job or a better opportunity or But they realize and they say, now I know what I want to do with my life. We'll hold a parade for them.
Okay. That makes us happy.
So that's the philosophy. That's first and foremost in everything we think about and everything we do. We sponsored Boys and Girls Club. And uh We built the Boys and Girls Club in Fond du Lake. And one of the challenges I gave to the uh leadership there.
Is that I want you to teach people. These kids. about personal responsibility, about work. As far as I know, These kids are getting there, they have no idea where the money comes from. for the Boys and Girls Club.
They have no idea about responsibility. I've seen a lot of these charities where, oh, well, you're so deserving, we're just going to hand you money. And I think it's a sin. I think it's an absolute sin. to allow people to default themselves.
and to not do things in a way that lifts people up. That's if we're, if God's blessed us to put us in a position to do that, if we don't do that, we're sinning.
So Went through all that with a And they brought these two older girls, like 16 or 17, and two like nine-year-old girls. Will. And we had all the people from all the people in the office, we had 150 people standing around. And The two older girls are saying, listen, if it hadn't been For the Boys or Girls Club. We'd have been pregnant by now.
We're both going to college.
Next year we're graduating, we'll go to college. But we would have dropped out of school and we'd have had two three babies by now if it hadn't been for the Boys and Girls Club. And we are mentoring these girls, and they're going to college too. It wasn't about the Boys and Girls Club staff doing it. It was these kids themselves.
Which is giving back responsibility. Excellent. You couldn't write it any better than him. In fact, I get chills. I get chills up and down my arm right now telling you the story.
And And they were finished talking. And The Holy Spirit put words in my mouth. that I hadn't even considered. If we all talk about serving God at work, Let me tell you something. You hear this story?
It's your hard work. And your contributions that generates the cash. that allows this story to happen. I just wrote the check. You made it happen.
So you go home the night knowing you are serving God at work because you are creating these stories and lots of them. People walked out of that room. I don't think a foot touched the floor. They were so high. And what great storytelling you're listening to, Ralph Steyer.
and he's talking about important things. He had prayed a long time about wealth and his own wealth. And one day, well, an employee visits Hong Kong and comes back with an adopted child. And then, well, the Lord answers a prayer. and talks to them.
What a beautiful culture Johnsonville has created. And as Ralph said, it works all around the world. Of course it does. When we come back more. From Ralph Steyer, our Faith in Action series continues.
Here on our American story. Uh Liberty has never been just a word to we Americans. It has guided every one of our endeavors for the past 250 years. And now it takes form in a new way. The 2026 Semi-Quincentennial Coin and Metal Program from the United States Mint.
It celebrates the founding ideals that have long shaped our coinage. Available one year only, this historic collection features new coin designs, limited edition releases, and reissues. Shop new official coins at usmint.gov forward slash semi-q. That's usmint.gov/slash S-E-M-I-Q. Every week The Snap Judgment Podcast drops you inside someone's biggest decision.
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Ralph next tells a story of the Oscar Meyer CEO coming into his office one day. Here I sit, and this guy comes into the office and We know the family companies sooner or later they're going to sell out and all that. We'd just like to let you know that we're available, etc. Uh And To me, again, it was a no-brainer. And I don't think it was me talking again, I think it was the Holy Spirit talking.
I said Well, Sam. Let me explain something to you. For me. Selling the company is not a financial situation. Yeah.
It's it's a decision. Penancial decision. It's a decision on whether or not I go to heaven or go to hell. Because this is God's cup, God put this here. God put me here in this position.
And if I sell this business. I know that it's going to change immediately in the next day. And it's not going to be what it was and what the Lord intended. And I will have just done it for the money. I will have taken what God given me.
gave me and I would have done it for the money. And I know I'd go to hell for that.
So What do you think the odds are that this is going to get sold in my lifetime? Sam said, Well. Let's talk about how we could work together. Uh And that was the end of that dialogue. And you know, I had gotten so many conversations, so many people calling all the time.
And it seemed like that word must have gotten out because we really don't get those phone calls anymore, but we'd really like to buy you. Because they know it's not for sale. Never good for sale. I know what my purpose is. I know what my purpose is.
And I thank the Lord every night. For the joy I have. of knowing that I'm serving him. I'm serving God. He had a purpose for me and I'm doing it.
Yeah, imperfectly. Yeah. Very imperfectly. I'm still imperfect, but I'm doing the best I can. You have to understand that the devil does his best work in church.
Okay. I mean You look at the Catholic Church and how it lost its way. It has lost its way. and what a mess it is in so many ways.
Alright. These are we're all imperfect people. doing the best we can.
Okay. I think just because you're the Pope or a Bishop Doesn't mean that you're so great or they're like, no. We all Yeah. We're all doing the best. Best we can.
So I'm sitting in church when they listen to yet one more story. One more sermon from a priest saying, You know, Ralph, no, he's not saying to you, Ralph, he's saying to the whole congregation. It's easier for a camel to get through the ivory deal than it is for a rich person to get through heavy. If we shouldn't be rich, or if we shouldn't, the whole story all over again, okay? And uh Afterwards.
I walk up and the wife's with me. And I go up to him and I know she's going to be upset because I'm doing this. But I said to him, You know, Father, once, just once, I'd like to hear a priest give a sermon. that says Isn't it wonderful how God works?
Okay. And right out of St. Paul, and St. Paul says it. That St.
Paul says, isn't it wonderful how God works that he gives us all different talents? And it gives some people the talent. to put together capital.
so that they can create a business. that could actually employ people. And those people can make really good wages and a living. And support themselves, their families, their community. And oh, by the way, pay your salary and fund this church, Father.
Isn't it a blessing that God actually has people like that? Because otherwise nothing would be here. Wouldn't it be great to have a sermon like that sometime? He says. I never thought of it like that.
Well, now you know.
So maybe next time you ought to give that sermon. Not long after that, this priest got caught up. In our Archdiocese in Milwaukee. With The whole. pedophilia thing.
He got accused by one person. And I trekked into it and I did not believe. that he had done anything wrong. and yet the Archdiocese just dumped them flat. He had nothing.
Left them with nothing, just. Carmus. based on one accusation which was false.
So why? I called him up, I got his number to call him up, and I said, Father. I don't think what the Archdiocese did is right. What are you gonna do? He said, well, I want to serve a life of service.
I want to do a life of service, but I can't. But I don't have any money. But the only thing and and with that charge or with uh that bad rap, I He didn't get prosecuted, nothing.
So he didn't have anything on his record, but the word was out. He says, I think the one thing I could do is be a funeral director. But I don't have the money to go to school to get a license. I'll lend it to you. Pay your back when you can.
And the fellow is the field director, and he paid me back quickly, actually. Dragota and uh But it was just It's just funny how How uh That's how it ought to work. helping people succeed, lifting people up. And uh He was able to live at least a A life of service like you wanted to. In the Bible, it says, go forth and multiply.
multiply people's faith in me. Multiply The goods, all the things, were a better life. Multiply the joy in the world. But the joy comes from serving others. and serving God at the same time.
That's where you feel joy. I don't know many people who chased money all their lives were happy. It's all right. No. What is success?
We've all defined success different ways, and as you get older and older, like I have, I finally realize what success really is: it's only one thing. It's when I die, and I'm standing in front of the Lord, and He says, Well done, my good and faithful servant. That's success. Anything else? If he's saying, well, Ralph, you made a lot of money.
But uh you didn't serve me. I don't know who you are. That's not success. The only thing that's success is Well done, my good and faithful servant, because you were responsible and did so well with what I gave you. For the small things I gave you, I'm giving you much more now in heaven.
to do more with. That's success. What does it profit a man They gained the whole world, but suffered the loss of his soul. And a special thanks to Ralph Steyer for sharing his story of his faith walk in the workplace. And so many of us have faith, well, we work.
And we don't talk about that enough. How we bring our faith journey and our values that stem from our faith into the workplace and to our customers and our employees. and all the stakeholders around us, including the community. And my goodness, the story of the CEO of Oscar Meyer. And Ralph saying to him, Let me explain something to you.
Selling the company isn't a financial decision, it's a decision of whether I go to heaven or hell. Pretty much, I think the CEO had had his answer. What do you think the odds are I'd sell the company in my lifetime? He followed up. By the way, Ralph didn't get many calls.
about selling the company. Word was out. The STORY OR RALF STAYER Our Faith in Action series. Here on Our American Story. Uh Liberty has never been just a word to we Americans.
It has guided every one of our endeavors for the past 250 years, and now it takes form in a new way. The 2026 Semi-Quincentennial Coin and Metal Program from the United States Mint. It celebrates the founding ideals that have long shaped our coinage. Available one year only, this historic collection features. New coin designs, limited edition releases, and reissues.
Shop new official coins at usmint.gov forward slash semi-q. That's usmint.gov/slash S-E-M-I-Q. Working forest professionals in the U.S. plant more than they harvest, while also caring for water, wildlife, and more. It's how we grow a sustainable future.
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