Homemade clothes and goods are a thing of the past. Today, individuals can acquire new clothes, home decor, kitchenware, as well as any other want or need by going to a store or placing an online order. Making new purchases is more accessible, affordable, and convenient than ever.
While this increased accessibility to consuming goods is a positive thing in many ways, Christians should also be wary of pitfalls and destructive patterns while navigating the modern-day marketplace. As with every other area of life, Christians should aim to embody the characteristics of Christ in their shopping habits.
Although the Bible does not offer specific instructions on how to shop responsibly and righteously, believers can apply biblical truths to this area of life to ensure that they represent Christ well in their consumption of goods.
Greed
The first pitfall believers should be aware of is greed. The Bible makes it very clear that believers ought to tithe to the church, care for the poor, and put the needs of others above their own wants and desires.
Deuteronomy 15:11 says, “For the poor will never cease to be in the land; therefore I command you, saying, ‘You shall freely open your hand to your brother, to your needy and poor in your land’” (NASB1995).
When God blesses His children with financial wealth, He expects to be glorified through the blessing He has bestowed. If buying from retail stores or online shopping sprees prevents a Christian from glorifying God financially, then that believer should prayerfully ask the Holy Spirit to realign their monetary priorities and goals. The flesh urges people to look out for themselves, but the Word of God insists that it is better to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). Christians should be diligent in avoiding greed in order to consume in a Christ-like manner.
Self-worth
A second pitfall believers should avoid is finding self-worth in their wealth and material possessions. Modern-day America is a capitalistic, money-driven society. While there are many benefits to this style of financial system, one vulnerability that can arise is the temptation to find one’s status and worth in the things one owns. Whether it be designer clothes, trendy water bottles, luxury cars, fast boats, big houses, or anything else, believers must ensure they own their purchases rather than allowing their purchase to own them.
The Bible clearly states that a Christian’s value, identity, worth, and security come from Christ and Christ alone.
“I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me” (Galatians 2:20).
Christians must cling tightly to scripture to remember who they are and Whose they are. It is also important to be confident in one’s identity in Christ to avoid finding identity in materialistic goods.
Abuse
The final pitfall is a hard one to tackle because there are very few ways to avoid it: perpetuating slavery and abuse. It is no secret that most products bought and sold in America originate from other countries; unfortunately, many of the countries that manufacture products do not have laws protecting workers from abusive treatment and hazardous working conditions. This means a large majority of goods available to purchase in this free nation were made by slaves, children, or individuals being forced to work inhumanely long shifts for minimal wages. By buying these goods, consumers are funding these sweatshops and foreign factories and contributing to the hardships of the laborers.
As mentioned earlier, this is a dicey topic because believers cannot always avoid buying anything unethically manufactured. Even if someone wanted to make homemade garments and everyday necessities, the materials they would have to obtain to make their products would likely be sourced from a country that does not protect its workforce.
A solution
People need goods from today’s market to survive. As a result, Christians should strive to answer not “How can I avoid funding unethical manufacturing?” but “How can I reduce the amount of funding I provide for unethical manufacturing?”
One way to do this is to buy products made in America. Although many products are not made in America, some companies still operate exclusively in the U.S. Because of the U.S.’s labor laws, buyers can rest assured that the laborers who produced the American-made products were treated humanely and ethically in their work environment and were compensated at least their state’s minimum wage.
Another way to reduce funding for unethical manufacturing is to shop secondhand. While the secondhand product being purchased may have originally come from another country, the money spent will go to the thrift store or individual selling the product, not the original producer.
While it is good and necessary to acquire material goods, it is also important to remember that all earthly possessions are temporary and destined for destruction; this is an important perspective to maintain while thinking through Christ-like consumption. When a believer stands before God on the day of judgement, God will not care what shoes a person wore or how big the house was that person lived in. Instead, He will care how she used the good gifts He gave her to glorify Him and bring the Kingdom of Heaven to earth.
Buying and selling will always be a part of life, but Christians should strive to engage this endeavor in a Christ-like way in order to live righteously and glorify God.
This article was written by The Stand intern Emily Moorman.
