How we consume.

Tim Ghali at Black Coffee reflections has some questions on how we act as consumers. I have these same questions.

And so I find myself wondering …
Can one blog about poverty on a Macbook while sitting in the suburbs?
Can one wear an Invisible Children bracelet with a Swiss Army watch?
Can one wear $100 jeans with TOMS Shoes?
What should we wear? What should we drive? Where should we live? What should we consume? What shouldn’t we …? Yesterday’s post was concerned with “mercy/mission wear” which raised the question, “Are we bragging about our good works when we wear these things?” and “Would Jesus wear these types of shirts?”

To read the whole blog check it out here Black Coffee Reflections —.

What say you?

-jpserrano

One Reply to “How we consume.”

I’ve been asking this question a lot lately as I begin to think more seriously about simple living. In her amazing book, “I hear a seed growing,” Edwina Gateley makes the statement, “In a Christian nation there should not be homeless people.” I get nauseous when I see the lifestyles of many “Christian” authors and celebrities, yet I certainly have more than I need. My husband is of the viewpoint that money = power and influence, therefore we have to be rich to make changes, while I am coming to the idea that I must give far more than I receive. It’s easy for us to say that material possessions are okay as long as they don’t get in the way of our devotion to God, but, really, aren’t they already doing that? Doesn’t our desire to have things cause many to take jobs that harm others or to buy things that hurt the earth or are made in sweatshops (pretty sure Jesus would not look kindly on that). When we look at the Bible, again and again it tells us to give up what we have in the service of God. So, I say, we should consume as little as possible and make those goods as ethical as possible so that we might give as much as possible to those who are in need. And, at the end of the day, there is grace – but we shouldn’t use that as an excuse to keep buying stuff that harms others and the earth. In the meantime, we can advocate for more ethically made electronics and clothing (as it is hard to do ministry in this day without the electronics). End of rambling.

ERW says:

January 20, 2012 at 11:32 am

I’ve been asking this question a lot lately as I begin to think more seriously about simple living. In her amazing book, “I hear a seed growing,” Edwina Gateley makes the statement, “In a Christian nation there should not be homeless people.” I get nauseous when I see the lifestyles of many “Christian” authors and celebrities, yet I certainly have more than I need. My husband is of the viewpoint that money = power and influence, therefore we have to be rich to make changes, while I am coming to the idea that I must give far more than I receive. It’s easy for us to say that material possessions are okay as long as they don’t get in the way of our devotion to God, but, really, aren’t they already doing that? Doesn’t our desire to have things cause many to take jobs that harm others or to buy things that hurt the earth or are made in sweatshops (pretty sure Jesus would not look kindly on that). When we look at the Bible, again and again it tells us to give up what we have in the service of God. So, I say, we should consume as little as possible and make those goods as ethical as possible so that we might give as much as possible to those who are in need. And, at the end of the day, there is grace – but we shouldn’t use that as an excuse to keep buying stuff that harms others and the earth. In the meantime, we can advocate for more ethically made electronics and clothing (as it is hard to do ministry in this day without the electronics). End of rambling.

One Reply to “How we consume.”

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