Jesus and Walmart
Have you ever seen pictures of "Walmart People" on facebook, or perhaps googled "Walmart People 2013", for example? The pictures are taken solely for entertainment. Imagine your picture being posted so people could shake their heads in disgust or laugh at you. Many of the pictures are fat people; often wearing completely inappropriate attire. Others are just weird, wacky, or ridiculously unbelievable. Most are downright gross.
So let's unpack this scenario. Who goes to Walmart? Well, I do, for one, and so do many other "normal" people who are looking for a deal. After all, there's not much you can't buy at Walmart, and it is hard to find it cheaper anywhere else.
That being said, I mostly buy things like toiletries, a few grocery items, paper products, and perhaps a small appliance. Rare have been the times I have bought articles of clothing other than socks or underwear, or perhaps a man's belt.
Looking at some of the people who frequent Walmart, it is clear that they are poor, probably not the sharpest knife in the drawer and/or have not had decent upbringings. These people buy everything at Walmart, including poorly made clothes. Their choices are limited.
Now, let's think about their appearance. Poor people may not be able to afford clothes that fit properly, are in style, or are flattering. What may seem like a disproportionate number of overweight people can, at least in part, be attributed to being poor. Carbs are cheap compared to protein. They may be living on things like macaroni and cheese, with perhaps a fatty hot dog thrown into the mix. They can't afford to work out at the gym. Dentistry isn't cheap, and neither are dentures or partials, so why wouldn't they be missing teeth? Part of the reason they may be poor is because they don't have the intelligence to get a decent job, receive more education, or even understand the basics of handling money.
I am well aware that some of them are just "milking the system", and have enough money for booze and cigarettes instead of necessities. But here again, how many of them were raised that way and don't even know any different?
When it's all said and done, sounds like what Jesus called "the least of these". For whatever reason, they're on the bottom rung. Jesus said whatever we do for/to them, we do to him. Sobering, isn't it?
So let's unpack this scenario. Who goes to Walmart? Well, I do, for one, and so do many other "normal" people who are looking for a deal. After all, there's not much you can't buy at Walmart, and it is hard to find it cheaper anywhere else.
That being said, I mostly buy things like toiletries, a few grocery items, paper products, and perhaps a small appliance. Rare have been the times I have bought articles of clothing other than socks or underwear, or perhaps a man's belt.
Looking at some of the people who frequent Walmart, it is clear that they are poor, probably not the sharpest knife in the drawer and/or have not had decent upbringings. These people buy everything at Walmart, including poorly made clothes. Their choices are limited.
Now, let's think about their appearance. Poor people may not be able to afford clothes that fit properly, are in style, or are flattering. What may seem like a disproportionate number of overweight people can, at least in part, be attributed to being poor. Carbs are cheap compared to protein. They may be living on things like macaroni and cheese, with perhaps a fatty hot dog thrown into the mix. They can't afford to work out at the gym. Dentistry isn't cheap, and neither are dentures or partials, so why wouldn't they be missing teeth? Part of the reason they may be poor is because they don't have the intelligence to get a decent job, receive more education, or even understand the basics of handling money.
I am well aware that some of them are just "milking the system", and have enough money for booze and cigarettes instead of necessities. But here again, how many of them were raised that way and don't even know any different?
When it's all said and done, sounds like what Jesus called "the least of these". For whatever reason, they're on the bottom rung. Jesus said whatever we do for/to them, we do to him. Sobering, isn't it?
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