Here’s the deal: we are Christians, but we are also consumers—and these two parts of our identity overlap far more than we might realize. We’re navigating a society that often feels like a maze, filled with businesses promoting ideas that might seem foreign, even hostile, to our belief system. The question is, do we want to inadvertently champion these ideas when we open our wallets?
Ephesians 5:11-14 encourages us to “have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” See, this isn’t about launching a crusade or shouting at the darkness—it’s about illuminating our own path and choosing with intentionality.
In our day-to-day life, we find businesses promoting anti-family ideals, advocating for pro-choice perspectives, or introducing genderqueer narratives to our children. But we’re not powerless here. We have a say, and we say it through where we spend our money.
I’m not sure if we’re called to condemn or even pickett these businesses—but I know we’re called to be the light. That might mean avoiding businesses that go the extra mile to subvert our values. That’s the power of conscious capitalism.
Yet, let’s be clear about one thing: this isn’t about intolerance or about building walls. It’s about asserting our values, yes, but doing it with the grace and compassion that our faith implores us to have. Even when we disagree with others’ views, we’re called to do so in a way that upholds the dignity and worth of all.
So as we navigate the maze, let’s remember that our wallets aren’t just wallets. They’re tiny ballots with which we vote for the kind of world we want to live in, the kind of values we want to uphold.
This is about more than just shopping. It’s about stepping into the marketplace as representatives of Christ, knowing that every dollar we spend is a testament to our faith. It’s about taking Ephesians 5:11-14 to heart and choosing to be the light—not just in our churches, but also in the supermarket aisles.