Toy Store

I'm going to do it!  I'm going to write about the "Save the Toy Store" campaign.

See, I have friends uttering statements on both sides of the fundraising fence.  And it seems like the friends asking, "Why?"  keep getting lambasted.  So, I wanted to come here and sort it out...according to my slightly strange take on things.

In a town where Walmart is expanding while Sam's Club is being erected, little homegrown shops are being put out of business.  Not sure why that large rat on 159 isn't setting things right.

We all long for simple.  We all long for the good guy to win.  We all desperately want to be part of something bigger than ourselves.  I can completely understand why this story has drawn attention.  I can also understand why people would donate at a rate of $1000/hour to save this business.  We live in an age where we feel like our freedoms are hanging by a thread and we're tired of politics.  When we have the opportunity to jump in and save the "little guy" we leap with both feet.  They are, after all, one of us.  The small business owner against the shady bank.

But, I also understand why this is inciting opposite feelings for others.  While it is a very noble cause.  It isn't saving lives.  We live in a world of excess.  We have too much food, too much space, too many freedoms, and too many toys.  It is easy to forget that while we are throwing money at a toy store campaign, there are children dying of disease because they lack clean water.  There are orphans languishing in orphanages because we "don't have enough money to adopt them."  People are homeless, for goodness sake!

So where do I stand?

I'll tell you what.  If you start a facebook campaign to raise money for me and let me choose where to send it...it will go to "the least of these" every time.  There are no Biblical calls to save businesses.  Even though it is extremely sad to let go of something special.  But, there are clear Biblical directives about caring for widows and orphans.  And I think this is why people are struggling so much with this situation.

Here is where I stand.  When all the orphans are in families.  And when all the foster children in the US are safely "HOME"  I will happily engage in causes such as this.  Until then, I'm going to have to direct all of my extra resources to campaigns that save lives.

But, I have mad love for every good heart out there that doesn't agree with me.

That's the beauty of life.  We can disagree and still love each other.