You can DO IT!

A few weeks ago my boss came in to my office and said, "Hey type in this website on the internet, BODYALIVE.com." I asked if he was trying to get me fired and he said just do it. He was serious. So I typed in the address and Tony Little, the exercise infomercial guy that sells the Gazelle with long hair, baseball cap and who obviously works out all of the time, pops up on my screen and says, "You can DO IT!" My boss had directed me to a website advertising a new network marketing scheme similar to AmWay or some other name he said where you sign up to the program, agree to spend a specified amount of money each month and then try to sign up more people. Other than his wife, I was my bosses first real attempt at signing someone up. Obviously I was hesitant, but I really didn't know what to say. He said if you get in early you can make tons of money and still only spend $50 a month on fitness/exercise/nutrition stuff. He described it as joining onto to a leg of people. The closer you are to the leg and the more people you get to add on the more money you make. So I would sign up ten people and each of those people would sign up ten people and so on and so forth. I really did not know what to say and for that I am saddened.

First of all I knew that if I tried to go home and explain to my wife that I wanted to spend $50 a month on fitness literature, equipment and supplements; she would suggest that I take it out of whatever I had left from the child support and alimony payments that I would start making in the coming weeks (not really, that would just be a joke with a stern face). My wife can sniff out an ill-conceived plan better than anyone I know. If she says, "I don't think that sounds like a good idea," she is right 95% of the time. I suppose she has honed her skills from living with me for so many years.

Second of all, the plan sounded strangely familiar to something else. Oh right, spreading the Good News and winning souls for the Lord. How could I forget? What I should have said to my boss was "You know rather than spend $50 a month on exercise equipment that would go to waste, I could give it away to my church or to charity or to random people who need a little lift. And instead of trying to gather in "$50 Believers" who could earn $100,000 a year, I should be gathering in Eternal Believers who can know and accept the love of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and have eternal life.

As usual, I felt pretty bad for not speaking up. I have been learning that it is my responsibility to be a disciple for the Lord and that I should live my life for the Glory of God in all that I do.

1 Corinthians 10:31 - 11:1 (NIV) says:
"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God - even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good, but the good of many, so that they may be saved. Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ."

If you have a chance and are willing, please say a prayer for me so that I can be courageous and lead my life for the glory of God.