1) Modesty.
The Bible tells us to dress modestly. Modesty can have a bad connotation in some Christian circles but I think we need to move away from modesty referring to the length of our skirts or how tight our jeans are; modesty is about not advertising our wealth or status through our clothes. It’s about not measuring our importance by what we own. This is consumer culture and it is exactly what we’re warned against in the Bible!
James 2:1-13 talks about not showing partiality or favouritism to the rich over the poor. The first four verses tell us:
1 My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
Someone who comes into church wearing a shabby coat should be welcomed just as warmly as someone who drives in in a Tesla wearing a suit from Gucci. There should be no difference in how we treat people from different economic backgrounds. Material wealth has absolutely no correlation to a person’s worth. I feel like we know this, because we know that every human is made in the image of God and has equal worth, but we so easily become awed by shiny, fancy things.
The Bible Project explains that the instruction to women in 1 Timothy 2: 8-10 - not quite the most controversial verse in that chapter, but getting close - comes from the sudden mixing of different socio-economic classes, where some of the wealthier women were treating the Christian gatherings as a fashion show. He discusses peace and praying for those in authority, and then tells them:
8 Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing. 9 I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, 10 but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.
I don’t think it’s denying the difference in genders to acknowledge that Paul’s instructions can be applied to men also. In the previous verse he tells the men not to quarrel which is also relevant to women. We just need to look at the example of Solomon to know that men can also get caught up in their outward appearance. But gender wars aside, my point here is that Paul is giving a clear instruction for material modesty. Don’t flaunt your wealth; don’t be so consumed by what you own that you end up distracting yourself and others from God.
Jesus warns us against the danger of consumerism, and this culture of always wanting more, in Luke 12:15:
“Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
I often pigeonhole all Biblical wisdom to the designated Wisdom books of the Bible (Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Job) but Jesus’ teachings are (of course) filled with wise statements which are more observation than command.
In Matthew 6:24 He says “You cannot serve God and money.” I don’t think it’s an instruction, but rather a statement of fact. It is impossible to serve both God and money.
Similarly here, your life does not consist in the abundance of your possessions. That is a fact, and therefore Jesus urges us to guard ourselves against covetousness. By pursuing modesty - which removes the power of possessions - we will steer clear of the dangers that lie brings.
(A side note: if you are interested in exploring further in the topic of modesty, I have really enjoyed and benefited from Sam Powell’s articles on the topic.)
2) Care for the poor and oppressed.
The Bible is filled with countless instructions to care for the poor. All throughout the Bible, from the Old Testament Law to the witness of the New Testament apostles, we are told to care for the needy.
Leviticus 19:9-10:
“When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the foreigner. I am the LORD your God.”
Job 34:19:
“[God] shows no partiality to princes and does not favor the rich over the poor, for they are all the work of his hands?”
Proverbs 3:27:
“Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act.”
Matthew 5:42:
Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
Acts 2: 44-45:
“All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.”
Consumer culture fuels the exploitation of vulnerable people. Fast fashion is probably the most infamous industry for this inequality. Wages are notoriously low, working conditions are often unsafe, many workers are not allowed to unionise, and 1 in 2 women workers in garment factories in SE Asia have experienced sexual harassment (Fashion Revolution White Paper, 2020).
Unfortunately unfair wages, working conditions and employee rights do not end there.
Minerals are vital for the development of society - anything that can’t be grown must be mined. Many of us might be familiar with the idea of blood diamonds or conflict diamonds, but minerals like cobalt and nickel, which are used in smartphones and for renewable energy technologies like solar panels and wind turbines, can also be associated with poor working conditions. The DR Congo is a major global producer of a lot of minerals, including cobalt. However, 20% of their cobalt exports come from artisanal and small-scale mining operations. For a lot of us, the label ‘artisanal’ has the connotation of being handcrafted in a remote studio somewhere romantic, but here it refers to small operations with very little regulation or oversight. Many of these operations have children working for them for very little pay with little to no PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) (Green Conflict Minerals, International Institute for Sustainable Development, 2018).
60% of the world’s cocoa beans are sourced from Ghana and the Ivory Coast. In those two countries there are 1.56 million children who are working under illegal conditions in the cocoa bean industry and at least 30,000 people who are victims of modern slavery, although that number is likely a lot higher. There are less children in all of Ireland (1.25 million) than there are working in the cocoa industry because their parents don’t earn enough income.
All humans are image bearers of God and have equal dignity and worth. It should grieve us to hear of the mistreatment and exploitation of our brothers and sisters.
John Stott in his book ‘Issues Facing Christians Today’ (which, incidentally, was written in the 1980’s but remains remarkably relevant forty years on) says that, as convenient as it can be to forget it, we are our brother’s keeper. He writes: “God has put us in the same human family and so made us related to and responsible for one another. The law and the prophets, Jesus and his apostles, all lay on us a particular duty to serve the poor and defend the powerless.”
3) Stewardship.
Right at the beginning of the Bible, the Lord gives humankind a mandate, unique among all creation, to rule as His representatives on Earth.
Genesis 1: 27-28:
“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them, male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
The earth is ours to steward and subdue. Nature is a glorious, exciting expression of the Lord and we have a distinct calling to rule over it.
The Bible frequently uses nature to praise, describe and magnify the Lord. In Job 38-39, God responds to Job’s incorrect assumptions about his suffering.
Job 38: 4-5:
“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it?
There are many things we don’t understand about how the world works - how much more so are there mysteries about its Creator which we cannot fathom?
I studied geology; our God created an intricate Earth. Generations of scientists have dedicated their lives to trying to understand how atoms, cells, ecosystems and tectonic plates work. He has created an incredible world and He is glorified by His creation.
For some reason, today care for the environment has become politicised. To make a sweeping statement: many Christians who are conservative in their faith are often also conservative in their politics. Many will therefore dismiss environmentalism out of hand, considering it the ‘Green Religion’ used by liberals to justify policies they don’t agree on.
But if we take our mandate seriously, if we strive to steward the Earth well, we will be concerned with its well-being.
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I said at the start that I don’t think it’s possible to live a perfectly ethical life. I stand by that, but I do hope this has challenged your perspective of consumerism. People will throw around things like “it’s not possible to have ethical consumerism under capitalism” but I think that’s often just a get-out-of-jail-free card. If we care about something, we will act accordingly, regardless of how small the action might seem. There are contradictions to ethical consumerism but that’s not a reason to dismiss it.
When we follow Jesus we are consecrating our lives to God, and that includes what we do with our money. It’s not so simple as direct-debiting tithes to the church every month and then doing what we want with the rest. Those of us who are privileged to have money must also undertake the responsibility to use it well.
