Whether I am shopping for groceries, looking for a nice outfit, or just buying something because I feel like I deserve it. There is always one thing that crosses my mind when shopping. How much is this going to cost me? My only criteria are if it's the right price, it's mine, and nothing else. But one day, I began to ask myself some tuff questions. What is the actual cost of a low price? Who made this product? What's their story? Did children make this pair of shoes? Was the person who made these socks fairly compensated? Is the company I am sowing dollars into exploiting their workers? What does God think about all this? Are these people not my neighbors, and if I'm investing in their suffering and exploitation, is that showing them, love? So, I did something that would change how I shop for the rest of my life. I began to research companies and study their practices, and I discovered that the cost of low prices was high, and I felt ashamed that out of pure greed and convenience, I was investing in companies with awful practices. I won't name any because that is not the purpose of this message. At one point or another, I can only imagine that at least one person reading this has asked themselves these very same questions. So, are we upholding one of God's greatest commandments to Love our neighbors as ourselves, or are we simply refusing to love in the name of convenience? I can only imagine that God knew one day I would ask myself all these difficult ethical questions and wonder what he wants me to do concerning them. I can see him in the heavens throwing his arms up and laughing, saying son, it is so easy; the answer to all the questions you battle with is in one of my greatest commands that I have left you. That command can be found in many different accounts in the Bible. Today though, we will read out of the gospel according to Mark. Here we find ourselves with the Pharisees trying to get Jesus to incriminate himself with an answer to their sneaky questions looking for a reason to arrest him. A teacher of the law came to Jesus and asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" (Mark 12;28) Jesus then replies to him, "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." (Mark 12; 29-31) Next time you want to buy something, keep in mind your neighbor behind that product and how you can best love them. I am challenging you to research your favorite brands and products and see what's going on behind the scenes. I will not take this time to promote companies and brands with good ethical practices, but I can direct you to https://www.fairtradecertified.org, here you can find just about anything you're looking for under a vast array of companies—knowing that the person on the other end of the product your buying is loved and treated as a human being with dignity and respect and is ultimately being fairly compensated for their work. When we do our research and hold companies accountable and shop fair trade, we are conscious that there are living human beings behind the products we buy every day. Even if they don't look like us or talk like us, it does not change the fact that they too are created in the image of God, and despite the distance that separates us, we are neighbors, and we must love them.
Written by Roberto Martinez