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The God of the Bible
versus the god of MLM
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Family Time
Nonetheless, the god of MLM is a jealous god. He has no compunction about using this most precious gift—family time—as bait to become involved in MLM. The pitch is simple—and effective. Prospects for MLM are often shown a business concept that includes a ‘permanent’ or ‘residual’ income feature —income that develops independent of the distributor’s ability to produce. "Invest 8-10 hours a week for 3-5 years now and buy the rest of your life back with a permanent six-figure income" is a common theme that resonates through the MLM business presentation. As the distributor buys into this promise, the MLM ‘training’ system( books, tapes ,seminars and rallies) slowly erodes the distributor’s commitment to family time. Here is a sampling of some of the teachings that the god of MLM uses to build a rationale for replacing family time with MLM time.
"You learn how to spend quality time with your kids-- not quantity time." "You don’t need to be home anyway after 8:00P.M. All you do is watch your kid sleep. It’s their bedtime anyway, right? A baby sitter can do that. Do for your family what the babysitter can’t do—go out and create a lifestyle and economic security for your loved ones." "Don’t let a three-year old decide your economic future—get out there and show the plan so they will have an economic future." "Remember, every time you decide to wimp out by staying home at night, not only are you depriving your family of a better lifestyle, you’re choosing not to help some other family improve their lifestyle. And, you’re letting your country down. And yes, you’re letting God down, too." "Don’t let Satan trick you into staying at home with the family—get out there and defeat Satan by sharing the concept with another family who needs this business!" "If you are married and childless, wait until you are at least Diamond before you start to have kids. Then you will have the time to enjoy them." "When we were going hard and building the business, our three- year old would grab my leg as I was leaving the house, begging us to stay home and spend the evening with her. I reminded her that Mommy and Daddy were going out to help people and that we were investing time now so we could have more time together later." The god of MLM is a jealous god. He doesn’t tolerate loyalty to a job, a spouse, a church, or a family. All must be sacrificed on the altar of MLM—replaced with spending late night time at diners and restaurants to learn the "secrets" from the "big pins" in the business.
God’s View of Family Time The God of the Bible gives us a limited—but perfectly adequate—window of time to raise our children. And, He is quite specific in His instruction manual on how this precious time is to be used for His glory. Even a limited understanding of God’s Word on family time should motivate caring parents to make child-rearing a top priority—ahead of everything except their relationship to God and spouse. It is a fearsome responsibility that parents will be held accountable for before the Lord Himself. To properly understand why this time is so important, look at how God Himself views children.
Children Are a Gift From God Ge 33:5 ¶ And he lifted up his eyes, and saw the women and the children; and said, Who are those with thee? And he said, The children which God hath graciously given thy servant. Ge 48:9 And Joseph said unto his father, They are my sons, whom God hath given me in this place. And he said, Bring them, I pray thee, unto me, and I will bless them. Jos 24:3 And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac. Ps 113:9 He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD. Ps 127:3 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. Isa 8:18 Behold, I and the children whom the LORD hath given me are for signs and for wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth in mount Zion.
Children Are Highly Esteemed by God
Ps 127:4 As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Ps 127:5 Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate. Ps 128:3 Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table. Pr 17:6 ¶ Children's children are the crown of old men; and the glory of children are their fathers. Mt 19:14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.
God’s Plan for Family Time God has given us a specific set of instructions on how we are to use time with our children. Consider these parental duties outlined in God’s Word.
God Commands us to instruct Our Children
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