Recently, from a couple of different sources, I have been feeling a certain amount of conviction regarding how I am executing my Christianity. Some through exposure to a group of historical anabaptist and some through other interactions in my daily life, I have been getting these small prompts to encourage me to look inward and self-check my Christian walk.
It has led me to the following observation. A large portion of Christianity seems to be focused so much on the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, that it seems we lose focus on the 33ish years he lived before that.
If we were made in Christ’s image… If we are called according to his purpose… If we are the children of God… Are we choosing to live each day with the same intentionality we have in choosing where we hope to go when we die? In living my life in a Christ-like way (ie being a Christian), are my daily choices effectively motivated by my beliefs? Being a Christian isn’t just about being saved. How you choose to live is as important as how you want to die. In our pursuit of salvation, let us consider “whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report” (Phil. 4:8).
An example to ponder: Some historical anabaptists chose not to pay a portion of their taxes relative to the defense spending because of their pacifist/non-violence views. While not paying your taxes could be an entire discussion in and of itself (read::render unto caesar vs value-informed choices regardless of the cost), it is such an act of ‘living your beliefs’ that I was equal parts inspired and convicted.
Your version and my version of living this out may not be withholding a portion of our taxes, but in our money-driven society, are we being intentional about where we spend our money? It is becoming more and more important to be cognizant and intentional about our support through dollars as our society becomes more polarized. Corporations are coming out and making stands on big issues, and it is our moral imperative to respond to that by supporting (or not) according to our values.
It is now widely known that companies like Google and Amazon are tracking your purchases and your time spent on sites. Based on that, what kind of person do they think you are? What kind of values do they think you have?
So, I am committing to dive deeper into the companies I support and be intentional about where my dollars (and hence my non-verbal support) flow.
One company I would like to brag on is Farmers Friend. Check them out here: https://farmersfriendllc.com/
They are becoming a name well known in the market gardening circles, but should be supported for any of your gardening needs. They are unashamedly living their Christian values (even unto shutting down their website weekly for observation of the Sabbath) and are small-farmers in caring for God’s creation a little better everyday.
(Note: I received nothing for this, I just believe in the company and its vision.)
Josh