Stewardship has often been mistaken for frugality. If I shop at Wal-mart, I can obtain the plethora of things which bring me comfort while spending very little money. Yet, I have exploited the poor. If I spend more money on each product to ensure that those laboring far away get fair wages, I may not be frugale, I may not purchase as many items, I may not be very comfortable, but I am a good steward. If I simply spend less, that is not enough; if I spend wisely, that can make a difference.
2 comments:
To be honest, I'm having a little trouble following your reasoning in the latest line of posts. I understand your main point; that we can and should use our everyday purchases to be better stewards of our money (in the context of giving to those in need.) What I don't yet understand is how we are exploiting the poor by purchasing inexpensive products (Heh - I hated business and economics with a passion in school.) I'm guessing that your concern is somehow related to your trip to Ukraine? I'm not quite sure what to make of what you're saying just yet.
Ah well. I should have a few new pics up sometime tomorrow on my site from a hike that I took today.
I too am not quite sure why shopping at Wal-Mart exploits the poor. No matter where I shop, almost everything is now made in China by some poor laborer (though now better off because of his or her job working for an American company than if he or she had no job at all). Where Wal-Mart gets in trouble in our politically correct society is how they deal with their American employees and their benefits (or lack thereof). We tend to ignore the fact that it's not slave labor; if they want a job with benefits, they can pursue finding one. After all, this is the land of opportunity. They aren't forced to work for Wal-Mart or other similarly benefit-depriving companies.
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