Prophet or Profit?

In substitution for trick-or-treating our church held a Fall Festival. There were rides and games throughout the foyer of our church along with thousands of people- mostly kids.

While watching my oldest daughter play in one of the Bounce Houses, I asked an older Black woman standing next to me if she was a member of our church. She replied no but that she has been coming for the past several weeks. We continued to make small talk where she mentioned her granddaughter and something about having a business that helps young women gain financial freedom. I of course then mentioned my business and we exchanged contact information.

A few weeks went by and I realized I had not followed up with her. Upon our first conversation, I agreed to meet with her to discuss ways we could partner and help each other's businesses. This is where I lost good judgment.

I agreed to meet at her house briefly to pick up a packet of information. I do not know this woman from Eve but felt like there was no harm in meeting with her. I obviously let my hunger for business overshadow common sense. Plus, at the time I had no idea what type of information I was going to pick up but for some strange reason I agreed to go to her home. Usually I email my friend Mel or Hope to let them know if I am going somewhere unfamiliar but I did not do it. Why, I have no clue! So on the way home from work, I went to the woman's house and got an eerie vibe upon walking through the front door. Not eerie like someone was held captive in the basement but weird like, "Girl, what in the heck did you just walk into?"

I felt like I was part of a cartoon where everything around me was twice the normal size. The mirrors on her walls were huge and trimmed in brass and gold. She had statues of angels and religious figures throughout the front sitting area. Angels standing the size of a five year old kid. The purple ornaments on her tree looked too big for the tree and that if they weren't distributed evenly, the tree would fall over. It was weird. However, I can say that she- her personality and conversation- seemed normal. So because she seemed stable, I just chalked the decorations to poor taste in design.

So I think I was in her home for at least 20 min listening to her quote scriptures about prosperity and God calling us to be prosperous and not broke. That she could see me on the national level not just making $1,000 a month but more than this a week. Keep in mind, I have not been told what she is selling but I glance at the literature on the table and realize it is Mary Kay. I wanted to say to her why didn't she just tell me from the beginning because I wear Mary Kay cosmetics but I did not want to be disrespectful to this older woman. So I sat and listened and she disclosed that she is also licensed to sell Primerica. So the majority of her sales pitch was showing me clippings and awards she won by accelerating through Mary Kay. I then mentioned that there is a lady at our church who just got her pink Cadillac and she knew the woman. She did not mention having a pink Cadillac or if it was one of her goals.

Anyway, I left her home thinking I would love to sell Mary Kay but I do not have time right now. Plus, I would not want to be under her because when she was gathering "the packet" for me to take, she was digging through a large book bag and grabbing single sheets that described past events she held. I do not doubt that at some point she made good money selling Mary Kay, but I can see how she may be struggling or lacking in her recruiting because of being unorganized.

So I had no intent on calling her back but planned to go under someone else whenever I decided to sell Mary Kay. She called me last night to ask if I made a decision and I told her it is not on my list of things to start right now. This is true because I am trying to enjoy my kids while they are still young, grow my own business and get involved with the vision of the children's ministry at church. She did something that made me get an instant attitude: she began to talk to me like I talk to people. Not mean but very direct and open ended. My friend Mel is the only one that talks to me like that so who did this woman think she was. I felt like I was listening to myself talk when she was talking to me and I did not like it.

The clincher was at the end of our conversation she said that she wanted to leave me with a seed. Remember at this point I have an attitude in my short responses to her but I am still listening to what she is saying. She said that I shared with her the purpose of my business and why I named it I Deserve Better...NOW!. She asked, "Do you believe what you are teaching other people? Do you want to find other sources of income so your daughters are financially secure besides punching a time clock everyday? You think about if you deserve better now or later." She was very respectful in ending our conversation and I was too but she struck a cord deep with her "seed".

Am I a hypocrite? What am I doing that shows my clients that I deserve better now and not tomorrow or 10 years from now? What is my testimony that I am striving for better now and not hoping to see it manifest 20 years from now? Do I have less debt and more savings? Do I have more speaking engagements and less cold calls? What am I doing now and not putting off until later? Is God using this bizarre encounter to put me on track to where He wants me to be financially now and not later?

I think yes, this woman is seeking to profit by recruiting me into Mary Kay or Primerica. However, I think some of her questions could be prophetic. What do you think?