Virtuous Spending

We read in the media of the effects of poverty for many people in this world - especially in farming areas. On the surface, it does not seem we can have much impact especially when we look at global problem of poverty. It seems like trying to boil the ocean. But consider this: there are some choices we can make with our spending - even just buying groceries. For example there is grocery store called Wholefoods which places a high value on fair trade. That is , for certain items, they insure that the farmers are adequately paid. They also promote the Whole Planet Foundation. This organization is the business of giving microcredit loans to individuals is poorer countries. These loans can be as little as a couple of hundred dollars to start a tomato farm. The store also promotes good stewardship of the earth which is evident from the many products that use recycled packaging materials. I am not a shareholder of Whole Foods and I can be as cynical as anyone else of marketing. What I am saying is that we all can be more intentional about spending wisely and spending responsibly. I will certainly continue to keep an open mind for more opportunities to spend at shops that have more elevated values than simply to make money. As I said in my last blog posting, companies should make money for the purpose of serving. This is the true purpose of commercial enterprise.
For Christians, being more intentional about how we use our resources should flow naturally from our faith. The business of life and the noise of the media can distract us from proper thinking. However if we still our minds, if we ponder a little more deeply then we will know the right thing to do. Let's do it.