examining your heart in your business

hmmm…

This world is growing.  There are opportunities to enter business like no time before.  I see women who are stay-at-home mommas and high ranking career women afforded the opportunity to build empires with time freedom and flexibility. They are able to see productivity and worth where they have felt invisible before.  This gives them a purpose in which they see fruit apart from the grind where they might have lost themselves.  This gives them a way to perform where people pay attention.  It gives them a community in which to be a part.  These are not wrong things–they actually can accentuate the true potential and identity of that woman and enrich her family.  The opportunity can equip her with ways to give and minister and serve like never before.  It is not merely about money, however, there comes a point where, like everything, there might be a trap.

The thing is, everything–literally EVERYTHING–can be a trap for idolatry.  A good thing held with a tightly grasped hand that becomes a god over God himself in that person’s heart.  It is not as simple as not participating–the not participating could be pride that becomes an idol. In fact, The Lord might want to grow and stretch you by having you walk there.

Everything is so much more complicated when it deals with our hearts.  Give us a good rule to follow, and we will feel safe to perform (and often in our own pride).  But, our hearts are so blind to what we can be treasuring and seeking…in fact, the Bible calls our hearts “deceitful above all things and desperately sick.  Who can understand it?”

The question becomes how can we keep our hearts in balance?  How do we navigate the waters and the pressures and the noise of this world and still keep our hearts with a focus on the worth of Christ?  How do we fight against false gospels that pop up with a brand of prosperity and blessing and God wants you to go for the top and be blessed and rich? Or, how can we battle the pride that rages on the other side of “THOSE people who do THAT business selling themselves?” How can we remember PEOPLE and serve them while not always thinking of an angle?

My heart and goal has always been to help others come alive.  This includes a financial growth so that my boys can come alive in the best education for them with me being present to listen and encourage their growth.   My husband can come alive knowing that if anything happens to him further with his health or life that we will be okay.  I love shepherding people on my team (and as customers) to step in and to do things that stretch them and help them grow and come alive in ways they did not imagine they could.  I love speaking to their hearts in the midst of life and pointing them to the ultimate hope of the Gospel.

God has expanded my heart for discipleship in the midst of business–which is sometimes more challenging and costly!!!   I have begun to experience what business people have been walking for a long time–it’s so easy to want to compromise to chase success.

I have to wrestle every day with how to lead in Truth and in a pleasing manner to my Good, Good, Father.  And, truthfully, that often can cost me the bottom line of not growing as rapidly as “I could.”  I cannot look to the right and to the left, but I have to care for hearts in truth above people’s performance.  I have to purposefully chose my family above a dangling carrot that I “could” grab. (and my gracious husband gently reminds me when things get out of balance).  I have to examine my motives always before I catch myself in the mix going for the next goal without forethought.    My allegiance and responsibility is to the Lord, and I want to support and encourage examination and growth in Believers in the direct selling industry and business, in general.  This, again, may affect my growth financially, but that is not the ultimate goal in the eternal.

What’s all this to say?  I have these conversations with Believers in direct selling in all different kinds of companies, and I realize it might be helpful to wrestle these things out in a blog.  So, from time to time, I will be writing and sharing things I have struggled with and how I weigh those things in light of God’s heart.  I don’t have anything figured out, but I am at least thinking of the questions, and I am glad to help you think and wrestle to bring Glory to God.