I met her in the produce aisle at Kroger. I was shopping, she was shopping, and she struck up a conversation. I’m an experienced “talker” (I talk to anyone and anything, including my flowers, the birds and myself) so we chatted. For about fifteen minutes. Before we parted ways, she said she would love to get together for lunch so we exchanged phone numbers.

What she didn’t know was that I was desperate for a new friend. I was in the transition between being a single college student to being a married working woman, and I was lonely.

I waited impatiently for her to call. When she finally did, I discovered that her motive was not to become my next best friend. She wanted to sell me something.

Amway.

To say I was crushed would be an understatement. I felt rejected. Used. Gullible. Stupid. And I still felt lonely. Sadly, that has not been my first experience with someone who had a hidden agenda and a selfish motive in being kind to me.

When I was in my early 40s, I begin suffering with migraines. This went on for about five years. At their very worst, I was sick every other day.

Often, in desperation, I would email a prayer request to my homeschool group or post something on Facebook. The responses always surprised me. Mixed in with the suggestions of smelling an apple or putting frozen peas on my neck, there were many well-meaning people who wanted to sell me something.

Many women tried to sell me “the pink drink,” Plexus. People who sold essential oils contacted me. There were purveyors of supplements who wanted to help me.

One homeschool lady said that my prayer request “moved her heart” and she wanted to talk to me on the phone. She swore to me in her email that she wasn’t selling something. But five minutes into the convo, I realized that she was. Bless her heart, she just wanted to help me, too. And help herself along the way.

I am a businesswoman myself and I have worked in multilevel sales before.  I know what it is like. I understand that you have to put yourself out there and let people know about the products that you have to offer. Most people reached out to me with a sincere motive, which was to help me.  But after a while, when they all added up, I just felt used.

In surprising contrast, I want to present an example of one person who was different.  One young lady in my homeschool group  sold DoTERRA essential oils. She responded to one of my SOS “I’m so sick, please pray for me” emails. She, too, had something that she thought could help me.

“Oh no, here we go again,” I thought suspiciously. Once again, I’m the vulnerable person who asks for prayer but I’m really just a sales opportunity. I ask for prayer but I get a sales pitch instead.

But surprisingly, Christy was different. She knew from her training and research that Frankincense could help migraine sufferers.  There were also other mixtures of oils that helped tension and headaches in general.

Then, she said that she wanted to GIVE ME some samples. FOR FREE. And even more, she brought these generous samples to my house.  To me, when I don’t have to leave my house, that speaks true love.

I was not just a sales opportunity to her. I was a broken person that she genuinely wanted to help. There was absolutely nothing in it for her, and she even lost out on the deal. Her offering cost her something. She gave of her inventory, her gas, and her time.  All for me. This really touched my heart.

Isn’t this just like Jesus? We are broken people, suffering and longing for help. Jesus has something to offer us – forgiveness for our sins, eternal life, and a relationship with God the Father.

Jesus didn’t ask anything from us when He surrendered His life on the cross. What He wanted to give to us was completely free. He had no hidden motives or agendas. We were not a means to an end for Him.  We would not help him reach his goals.  He presents eternal life to us and, in comparison, asks for very little in return.

What we often don’t fully grasp was that Jesus reconciled us to God at great personal cost. He was rejected, misunderstood, and persecuted by the religious leaders in Israel. He was taken prisoner, beaten, and crucified, mostly likely naked, on a cross. On the cross, while bearing our sins in agony, He was separated from God, His Father.

“…the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:18 

He sacrificed Himself completely for us. And His motive was completely pure: He simply wants a relationship with us. All He asks from us is our heart. From my perspective, that’s such a small price to pay to gain eternal life.

If you are a salesperson, I know that sales pitches and sales calls pay your bills. Keep at it! But keep in mind that when suffering people ask for prayer and your initial response is a sales offer, after a while, they feel used.  Let Jesus, and Christy, be examples to us of how to help broken people sacrificially.

PS I do apologize for not posting as often lately.  We have had a niece live with us for the last month and I have been busy taking care of her.  I am going to take August off, and will start posting again in September.  Thanks for sticking with me, even when I have not been able to post as often. I appreciate you!

Sharing is caring. If this post encouraged you, will you share it on Facebook so that it could bless your friends,too? Thanks for helping me to reach more struggling women with encouragement, hope, and grace.