WOULD JESUS SHOP AT WAL-MART?

One of the things I did not miss while we were in Belgium was the immature behavior of the American church and especially the antics and statements of some of our “leaders.”

Large parts of Europe are very dark spiritually. The city of Ghent where we were for two weeks has a population of about 250,000. In a city of that size there are only ten evangelical Protestant churches, with a good-sized church there averaging 200 or less in attendance. In a very sad way, it was refreshing to be with people who do not live in the hypocrisy that is so prevalent in the American Protestant Church.

Since our return, I have been catching up on my mail and looking at the headlines. Recently I came across a news release with this headline: “Would Jesus Shop at Wal-mart?” and it goes on to say that 130 clergy members have signed an open letter to Wal-Mart. One of their questions is, “Can we shop at Wal-Mart without insulting God?” One of the primary spokesmen for this “politically correct” movement is a prominent pastor from Louisville, KY

It has become a part of the “politically correct” movement recently to attack Wal-Mart. One of the favorite arguments of the left leaning “PC” crowd is that the “big box” stores are putting the mom and pop stores out of business. If you don’t mind paying more for your groceries, then shop till you drop at a mom and pop. Here are a couple of statistics to keep in your mind—20% of all the groceries sold in the U.S. are sold through Wal-Mart. The average grocery shopper at a Wal-Mart store saves at least 15-17% on their grocery bill over any other major grocery chain. Does that sound like a bad deal? Only if you are a socialist!

Am I suggesting that Wal-Mart is a perfect company? No, absolutely not! I am sure that they are in need of readjustments in many, many areas.

Would Jesus shop at Wal-Mart? If you read your Bible at all, you know the answer to that one. Jesus would never do the politically correct thing of His day. When the Pharisees tried to corner him and “PC” him, He went and hung out with the publicans and sinners, which was very “un PC”. When the “PC” thing would have been to avoid the Samaritans, Jesus opened up a conversation with them that led to a spiritual awakening in their community. A rabbi (teacher) never talked to a Samaritan woman, not ever! Jesus didn’t care what the religious crowd thought or did, He did what He knew was right and went to those who were in need of Him and understood that they were in need. “Those that are religiously satisfied do not need or want God’s help in their lives, but those that recognize they are in need are the ones reaching out!” (my paraphrase of Mark 2:17)

I think that the more relevant question for the pastor from Louisville, Kentucky, would be: “If Jesus had a choice of coming to your church or going shopping at Wal-Mart, what would He do?” I see no indication that Jesus would have gone to the local air-conditioned center of politically correct religiosity. He would have been down at Wal-Mart, or at 7-11 or McDonald’s hanging out with the real people and teaching them how to enter the Kingdom of God. He would have gone to a park somewhere, gathered a few people around Him, and taught them what it really means to follow God. He would have fed them, blessed them, loved them and pointed them to real life in God.

Would Jesus shop at Wal-Mart? You betcha…and I do, too!