Quick, what do unbelievers think of when they hear the word, “Christian?” Love? Compassion? How about “Boycott?”
Fair or unfair, there seems to be a growing perception that Christians specialize in boycotting.
Don’t get me wrong; there is a time and place for boycotting. Still, I’m afraid we are prone to declare war on products and providers without always thinking it through. Here are a few basic questions that must be asked before declaring a “boycott.”
- Am I unfairly expecting a secular business to adhere to Christian values? If Christians desire to infiltrate the marketplace with the gospel, we must be willing to interact with sinners. Jesus said, “And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?” (Matthew 5:47). By some of our “boycott standards,” I’m not sure if we would have been willing to accept water from the Samaritan woman!
- Am I willing to apply the same standards to every product or business I support? It’s really easy to get caught up in the views a company espouses or the organizations it supports. But have you scrutinized the giving records and political views of every business you patronize? If you applied the same scrutiny across the board, could you still buy groceries or purchase fuel?
- Is this business or product directly causing harm to innocent victims? This is the kind of question that helps us begin to draw lines and make concrete decisions. If the answer is “no, not directly” then you must ask, “at what point am I complicit in the sin?” For instance, you must decide if there is a difference between a business that operates sweatshops and a business that sells shirts purchased from an apparel company who purchased buttons from a company who buys from sweatshops.
- How will a boycott affect employees and their families? Imagine you have built a friendship with a struggling waiter at a local chain restaurant. Over time, you have provided a listening ear, wise counsel and generous tips to try to help the young man get “back on his feet.” He has trusted Christ as his Savior and is growing spiritually. Then suddenly, the local Christian community announces a boycott on the restaurant because of anti-Christian comments the franchise owner made in a press conference. If the boycott is successful, it could mean your friend loses his job. What do you do?
Here’s the bottom line: I fear that many Christians never think about the bigger message we are sending –namely, what is most important to us.
I remember several years ago speaking to a non-Christian college student at a time when Christians were launching a massive boycott. The college student remarked, “This week, I’ve had three different Christians try to persuade me to join the boycott, but none of them have said anything to me about my soul.”
Boycotts can get out of control –especially when we let the “issues” replace the gospel. Sometimes I wonder if Christians are looking for busy work to relieve their guilt for not sharing the gospel.
I’m not here to tell you which boycotts are justified and which are not –that’s for you to decide. Most situations won’t have a clear-cut answer. Rather, they will require great wisdom. So, if you decide to boycott, here are a few last things to consider:
- Should I make my boycott private or public? There are many businesses I do not visit for various reasons. However, I do not feel it necessary to publicly criticize them. My reasons are based upon personal convictions, therefore I keep them personal.
- If I do choose to boycott, how can I still “love my neighbor as myself?” If workers will lose jobs, how could you help support them? If a local economy is affected, how can you reach out to hurting families?
- How can I make sure that my participation in this boycott will not undermine or replace my gospel witness? Take some time on this one. Are you willing to spend as much time expressing your faith in Christ as you spend expressing your dissatisfaction with a business? Remember, an idol is anything that steals away your affections for Christ.
So be careful, boycott wisely –if you boycott at all. I am certain that I don’t have all the answers regarding when Christians should and shouldn’t boycott. (I don’t even know all the questions for that matter.) I am interested in your feedback -whether you agree with me or disagree. What kind of criteria do you consider when asked to join a boycott?