Ask the Pastor: Christians in Society
Lutherans have a different understanding of "be in the world, not of the world." Lutherans see their lives as service to others regardless of whether they are parading under the banner of Christianity. In the words of my favorite hymn, "they will know we are Christians by our love." (a bit of sarcasm there... sorry) Its true though. Through our daily vocations whether mother, father, son, daughter, garbage truck driver, or fast food waiter we have opportunities to help others and so testify to the reality of Christ in us. When we approach the seeming hum-drum tasks of life for the benefit of neighbor, we are expressing the same love that God has for us in sending his son as servant for all. It annoys me when I see people only supporting Christians with their commerce. "Thou shalt not buy goods or services from non-Christians." I missed that one! (oops, sarcasm again) Pr. Snyder of Ask the Pastor does a great job adressing this issue. Here's a brief snippet (with a link to the full article.) Ask the Pastor: Christians in Society:
Consumerism and Confessing Christ Q: I have problems with people who advertise “Christian-owned†businesses primarily to encourage buyers to trust them. They appear be calling upon Jesus to endorse services or products. At the same time, I think that we should, as Peter said, be prepared to give a reason for the hope that is within us. Is there is ever a time when it is appropriate to witness in the marketplace. If so, when and how? In a somewhat related situation, a person recently accosted me in a grocery store checkout line, asking if I had accepted Christ as my Savior and wanting to give me a tract. I tried to explain that I am dead in my sin and completely unable to accept Christ, so I am thankful that Christ already did everything necessary for us and comes to us in the Sacraments. At the same time, I felt uncomfortable having that discussion in the grocery store. A: All else being equal, I patronize believers (especially Lutheran Christians!) over unbelievers. As Paul wrote, “Let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. (Galatians 6:10)†However, fish decals on service vans, crosses in storefronts, or other ads for “Christian†businesses mean little unless the owners’ attitudes and actions back their advertising. And even if a committed Christian owns a company, these outward trappings don’t go very far in meaningfully confessing Christ. Words and deeds — intentional, caring human interactions — far outweigh signs and slogans. As God did for you in the grocery line, so He regularly gives Christians in business opportunities to engage in meaningful conversations on faith and forgiveness. And while I don’t advocate the “bait and switch†approach of hiding evidence of one’s faith, I wonder how often these ads designed to attract Christians might not instead be puting unbelievers on guard, actually hindering dialog with those who need the Good News. There’s also the matter of knowing who provides the best service or sells the highest quality goods for the most favorable price. We hope that Christians, of all people, would do with all their might their tasks at hand (see Ecclesiastes 9:10). However, many of us hold sad memories of instances where this wasn’t the case. Some who claim Christ also practice slipshod craftsmanship or sell substandard goods. While the Lord forgives such sins when they are confessed, that doesn’t help me if I patronize such people and find my clothes falling apart, my driveway cracking, or my pipes leaking. Therefore, I’m thankful that I’ve discovered many devout believers whose business dealings do mirror their professions of faith. Still, I’m careful to not use religion as the only reason for choosing to purchase goods and services — especially when selecting someone whose actions directly affect my life. For example, if a neurosurgeon will be mucking around in my skull, I want him first of all to be the best neurosurgeon available. As in other cases, if the skills and training are similar, I would certainly settle on a Christian over any unchristian options.
