Written by SuzyQ

This is a favorite line used often in the context of seminar speeches and uplifting motivational “I stories” to answer the question “How did she do it?”

Let’s talk about that a little.  The “god” that is used in Mary Kay is a little different than the One we were taught to worship.  Mary Kay’s god has an amazing facility to “bless” unethical, immoral and dishonest practices.  Mary Kay’s god blesses Cadillacs, recruiting pitches, skin care classes, unit clubs, top director trips, seminar openings, and warm chatting adventures. 

This god places sharp women in people’s paths, presses other people’s names on one’s heart, gives lists of people to call for classes and interviews, views prosperity and name it and claim it as a divine birthright, and last but not least, holds Mary Kay in the palm of his hand.  This “god” understands the necessity of selling the sizzle, so if that director’s check you wave around and let it be understood that this is your normal monthly check, it’s OK, because some day it will be your real monthly check.

This god allows women to frontload others with inventory, distorts the recruiting interview, allows lies by omission and often out-right lies.

Mary Kay’s god doesn’t worry about the process so much as the outcome, and those who are find a way, make a way sort of women, are “blessed” more than those who express concern or doubt.  This “god” supports dumping the non-supportive spouse, letting friends go who don’t get it, encourages shunning of those who have left the company, and doesn’t allow questioning.

This “god” endorses interesting payment plans for products, allows agreements to be falsified, and smiles down at the winners of the cars and the courts at seminar.  Frowns from this god are reserved for those who didn’t believe, trust and stretch to make it to the sacred stage. In short, this “god” has very fluid, flexible and situation-dependent values.

Now, looking at this objectively as I can, this appears to be much ado about nothing.  Nothing more than a silly company with silly leaders and silly events.  Maybe.

Except, the reality for many is incredible pain, confusion and profound guilt.  Where did this information come from?  The nationals.  Mary Kay’s daughters who are passing on her legacy.  I don’t know whether Mary Kay herself is ultimately accountable, or, if many of the nationals decided to practice their own style of preaching on their areas independent of her blueprint for her company.

Where else can a person hear that The Secret is Christian, because you are asking the universe for this or that, and God created the universe, so it’s same thing same thing?  Or that the Prayer of Jabez was referencing unit and area size?  The Golden Rule?  It now means that the way you treat your nsd and your director is the way you will be treated when you attain those positions.  That Creflo Dollar, Joel Osteen, Paula White, Joyce Meyer, Jack Canfield, etc. etc. are speaking directly to the Mary Kay sales force.  That “Name it and Claim it” is a viable spiritual belief?  That Mary Kay is a Christian mission field?  That pink Cadillacs are a way to attract people to God?  That materialism and the excesses displayed so frequently are also a way to attract people to God? That the Mary Kay sales force is the only “bible” some people may read?

And negativity.  Any negativity, any questioning of business practices, any concern, introduces the devil, the “enemy,” the darkness that is pressing on your heart and stealing your dream.  If I had a quarter for every time I heard the phrase “Speak no negativity” I could retire my entire MK debt in one payment.

And the phrase “Be too dumb to doubt.”  Or “God equips the called, he does not call the equipped” is a reference about becoming a Mary Kay beauty consultant?  “Don’t give voice to your doubts?”  “Step out in faith, not fear?”  So many phrases conscripted and distorted by Mary Kay nationals.

And the one that struck terror in me personally was “You are just a baby Christian” with the implication I wasn’t working hard enough, didn’t believe enough and would never achieve any sort of success unless I believed the way this national did.  Oddly enough, this was during a directors only Bible study she led and I learned it was OK to pray for production and new red jackets.  We could also specify how many stars we wanted to bring in the next month.

The end result of all of this distortion and deception is incredible pain in one’s very soul.  If one loses faith in Mary Kay, it follows that one loses faith in God.  If spiritual success is measured by trips, cars and production, many are lacking.  If God is not blessing, then He is punishing.

If God has led you to Mary Kay and you are not successful, you are more than a business failure, you are spiritually bankrupt.  The only answer remaining to you is to immerse yourself more in Mary Kay.  To work harder, to believe more, to trust the process more, to do so many things more and better, and if still, there is no change, it’s back to spiritual bankruptcy.

It’s one thing to make money by hook or by crook.  It’s quite another to use God as a means to that end.  The shame and guilt that many of us felt as we let God down, yet again, should instead be laid directly on the shoulders of the nationals who perpetuate this religious abuse.

Note to nationals: Practice whatever sort of religion that is popular with you now, in your own homes. Do not inflict it on your areas.  Mary Kay is not a church; it is a skin care and cosmetics corporation.  Your area is not your congregation; it is comprised of the women who pay your bills.

If you are going to quote Scripture, how about putting it into context?  Better yet, leave the Scripture to those who are ordained, and leave your “god” out of it. Teach your areas how to sell the product you insist they order.   It’s the right thing to do.  Try it.