Sabbath (or) Holy Economics, part XV
Richard M. Wright
In those days I saw men in Judah treading winepresses on the Sabbath and bringing in grain and loading it on donkeys, together with wine, grapes, figs and all other kinds of loads. And they were bringing all this into Jerusalem on the Sabbath. Therefore I warned them against selling food on that day.” – Nehemiah 13:15
Because we now journey through the season of Lent – a time for self-examination, confession, and repentance – please allow to me to take the gloves off for a few weeks.
There is a curious and seldom noticed contradiction in American Christianity. Between what we say is our intent/goal and what we typically do.
On the one hand we want to invite and encourage people to “come to church” – to participate in our Sunday morning worship gathering(s) and other activities. During staff meeting this week we celebrated the Tortoise and Hair race/fundraiser that took place last Saturday. Six hundred and fifty people! Cars parked everywhere. About five hundred people who came to University Baptist Church for the first time – granted not for Sunday worship, but still they were here and some of them might decide to come back and check us out. We enjoy our church family and want people to experience the worship, Bible study, opportunities for service and mission, fellowship, preaching, and so on. “There’s a Place for You at UBC.”
Some of those people have to work on Sundays. Hold that thought.
On the other hand many of us patronize the very businesses/restaurants where these people work. On Sunday.
“We would love for you to worship with us this Sunday.” Well she cannot because she will be too busy cooking/serving you lunch that afternoon. He cannot because he works at the store where we go to buy things later that day.
Do you see the contradiction? Our “Sunday after worship” habits reinforce the very economic system that prevents people from “coming to church” (primarily Sunday morning worship and Bible study). At least two people in Church of the Nations often miss worship because they work at a nearby restaurant popular with many of us.
Lest it sound as if I am judging thee – be aware that I am a hypocrite. Some Sundays my family grabs fast food on the way home. Church of the Nations has a monthly fellowship meal that includes fried chicken purchased that morning from a nearby grocery store.
Our pastor Jay Hogewood, minister of music Warren Miller, and Bob Benedict attended last week an all day worship conference at the Baptist Theological Seminary in Richmond, Virginia. “Where did you eat breakfast?” At Ukrop’s grocery store. Apparently the very store where I worked for about two years. Even the same department – the Kitchen, where you can buy hot/cold prepared food.
Ukrop’s did not open on Sundays. Maybe that sounds stupid. How can you compete if you do not “bring in all kinds of loads and sell food” on Sunday? I once saw a report in the Richmond Times-Dispatch that Ukrop’s commanded about a sixty percent share of the grocery market.
There is a family in University Baptist Church whose son-in-law plays a prominent role in sugar cane growing/processing. A few years ago he made the radical decision to close his sugar mills on Sunday. His wife told me they are doing fine – even better than before.
I admit I do not have any clear answers. (Because some of our friends/neighbors benefit from our business on Sunday yes?) But I know something is not quite right. And I am convinced it is indeed possible to practice holy economics.
