When Habits Become Expressions of Convictions

Below is an example of an organization who wants to be KNOWN for remembering the global poor.

The desire to be radical with our lives is rooted deep within Christian culture. Don't believe it? Have you ever been to a conference where you feel inspired to “do something" and walk away with shrugged shoulders when your call to action resulted in something not-so-spectacular? It seems like all organizations say the same thing, “Consider donating, and like us on Facebook.” You want to save the world, but no one’s giving you a "save the world blueprint."

But what if the change we wish to see in the world doesn’t start with only doing something for others, but starts with ourselves - an inward first focus?

We often think of it like this: We advocate loudly on behalf of [insert your preferred global issue of choice], and forget that our daily actions are helping perpetuate or improve [global issue of choice]. But what if your every day actions are the "do something" that you've been looking for? It's when we start to realize that the global issues we fight against start in our home and with our own consumption that the world will start to change. Because how can we advocate on behalf of the enslaved and the global poor when our own consumption perpetuates it? Because how can we say, "Love your neighbor," when our actions dictate the opposite?

So, what we ask of you is simple: look at your consumption. Are your faith and values reflected in the way you consume? Are you standing in solidarity with the global poor simply through the way you live? Whether your answer is yes or no, we have some ideas for your church and for you:

Trade as One offers a fair trade food subscription program. This is a daily way to commit to eating fair trade, while fully acknowledging that with each product consumed, you're doing it on behalf of the global poor. The products included in the box give dignified jobs to some of the most marginalized and poorest people in the world. In return, those jobs bring to them a living wage, so that they can do all the things we would expect to do with our wages like feed their family, educate their kids, and provide health care. And even better, the box is curated, regular, and includes things you won't find all in one store. But the best part? With each season, we highlight one product and connect it to you deeply. We tell you its history, why it's important to consume it ethically, and include stories of people's lives that have been changed because of it.

We can’t make it any more obvious -- this is your blueprint or at least a beginning to it! As famous food author Michael Pollan says, “The wonderful thing about food is you get three votes a day. Every one of them has the potential to change the world.” We couldn’t agree more. We believe that we’ll see a positive, radical change worldwide when more people catch the vision of living simply and buying ethically; when people’s daily habits become expressions of their convictions. But if that’s too hard, then feel free to like us on Facebook.

What do YOU want to be KNOWN for? Go here and tell us.