Lift your eyes unto the mall, from whence cometh your salvation . . .

A few weeks ago when the stock market spiraled downward after a major financial institution crumbled and it became apparent the U. S. economy was in trouble, the woeful predictions of doom were dominating every news outlet. It was breaking news. You know that things are serious when they use the tympani drum intro. Our way of life was in jeopardy. The talking heads were in shock. One expert appeared and said:

"The only thing that will save us is for Americans to buy more stuff. The consumer can save us."

I am not opposed to commerce. A fair price for a good product is a good thing. But the longer I live the more I realize that Jesus was right. I know He is pleased to have my endorsement.

Jesus enjoyed food and drink. He probably had at least one pair of sandals, maybe two. Perhaps he had a shirt and a cloak. Maybe a couple of pair, or set, or outfits, or whatever they were called. I figure as he talked about these things He probably was pointing to his own possessions as illustrations. You know, if a man demands your shirt (here he would grab the edge of his shirt) then give him your cloak also (here he would grab the edge of his cloak, whatever that is, I know we had cloak rooms in elementary school, but I never really knew what a cloak looked like). In the story of the Good Samaritan it was a good thing that the Samaritan was able to pay for the services rendered by the innkeeper. Jesus' dad (Joseph, the earthly dad) was a carpenter. I am sure Jesus was fed and clothed with the money Joseph earned from people buying his product. So I don't think that Jesus considered commerce an inherently bad thing.

But I do think He would have trouble with our infatuation with consumption. Now we have come to the point that our very way of life depends on us stepping our consumption up a notch for the the salvation of all mankind. Or at least for the good of the U. S. economy.

It just doesn't feel right. Jesus talked about not storing up our treasures here on earth. We have to rent extra storage just to warehouse the stuff we wanted at one time or other but can't fit into our houses. Jesus told the disciples to leave their nets behind. Later he told them to travel light as He sent them into the mission field. He just did not have much stuff. It would have slowed him down.

Just as it slows us down.

We are only awake about 112 hours each week. I don't think it would be a stretch to say that many of us use as many as 20 hours a week choosing, buying, transporting, protecting, insuring, cleaning, repairing and storing stuff we do not need.

But all we have is time. Time is too precious to spend on stuff.

More stuff will not be our salvation. It will be our damnation. And quite possibly we will take the rest of the world with us if we keep consuming at the present rate. But that's a subject for another day.

Wouldn't it be amazing if a talking head said, "our salvation will come if we Americans learn to love each other and love the world, even if that means consuming less."

Shoot, that would be amazing even if it came from a pulpit.