Should We Purchase Products from Companies That Have Different Beliefs Than Us?
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Matthew 21:12 says, “Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. ‘It is written,’ he said to them, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer, 'but you are making it a den of robbers.’”
The time when I believe it is reasonable to pull away from a product is when they are standing against Christian beliefs to a point where you feel convicted by the Holy Spirit that supporting them is supporting sin. There have been times when I have felt that a group has been too radically anti-Christian or promoted beliefs that were too far from my own that I needed to stop funding their negative noise in the world.
As Christians, we are called to live in the world, but not be of the world. Society does not love Christians because it has rejected Jesus or does not know Him. We need to give grace to them and not hide in a bubble from them. However, we do need discernment as to when to take a stand against decisions or actions that attack the gospel or the people of God. John 15:9 says, “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.”
It is beneficial for us to remember that businesses are in it for money at the end of the day. Unfortunately, their products and advertisements might be extremely political or social, but their mindset is how they can get the most money. We need to be careful funding people who are outputting so much negativity into the world. However, we still need to buy groceries, clothing, etc.
Take the time to research the places where you love to shop. Understand their mission statements and marketing strategies. Tell them what you think as a customer. Determining whether or not we should purchase products from companies who have different beliefs is a personal choice. Ultimately, ask the Holy Spirit to be your guide in navigating these difficult decisions.
What do you think? Does buying from a company with different beliefs mean supporting those beliefs? Or is it possible to appreciate quality products without endorsing the company’s values? Join the conversation on Crosswalk Forums!
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In this episode of Thinking Christian, James welcomes Christian Werner. She is an SVP with Public Square, a company focused on helping local businesses succeed while upholding specific values that have been abandoned by some of the other major companies in the United States. Christina and James discuss Public Square and the way businesses often sell ideologies rather than products. Listen in, and be sure to subscribe to Thinking Christian on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
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