Today’s Scripture Reading (July 24,
2014): Nehemiah 10
Back when I
was growing up, shopping on Sunday was a big deal. I mean, there were some
things that you didn’t do on Sundays, and shopping headed the list. So when
stores decided that they wanted to be open on Sundays, there was an outcry from
the Christian community. Petitions were signed, letters were written, and boycotts
were announced, all over the issue of Sunday shopping. And the reason for the
outcry was because Christians seemed to take the Bible seriously. And the
Sabbath was a day of rest. And rest meant no work, and in order to have stores
open, somebody had to be working.
I can even
remember discussions about whether or not it was okay to go out for lunch after
church on Sunday. My family often did, but even the act of going out for lunch
after church required someone to work so we could have the privilege. So many
argued that even restaurants should be closed on Sundays, that it is a day of
rest – a day when no one does anything to force anyone else to work. (And if
you have ever tried to stop in to a “Chik Fil A Restaurant” in the United
States on a Sunday for a shake or a tray of nuggets and have found the doors
locked, now you know why.)
But the
stores opened because they suspected something. They thought that maybe the tag
line for the movie “Field of Dreams” just might be right (although admittedly
the opening of stores on Sunday predates the movie.) But the tag line for the
movie is “if you will build it, they will come.” In the case of Sunday store
opening the line was adjusted to “if you will open it, they will come.” And
they were right. The stores opened and people, including Christians – even Christian
opposed to Sunday store openings – began to flood in to make their purchases.
Today many Christians regularly do what only a generation ago was an unthinkable
act and considered to be a sin – they go Sunday Shopping.
As Nehemiah
describes the early situation of the re-establishment of Judah in Palestine,
Nehemiah recognizes that the foreigners who have taken over the land have no
problem selling on the Sabbath (for Nehemiah, this would have been Saturday.) But
Nehemiah does - and Nehemiah is the Governor and the representative of the Ruler
of the Persian Empire in the land so one would think that his opinion would
carry a lot of weight. But what is interesting in this passage is Nehemiah’s
reaction to the situation. What he does not do is institute some sort of
Sabbath Law prohibiting the act of selling on the Sabbath. But he does instruct
the people not to buy on the Sabbath. Nehemiah seems to understand that if
there is no demand for items on the Sabbath, eventually the sellers will get
the message and stop selling. The reduction of demand will change the behavior
to which Nehemiah takes offense.
It would
seem that today convenience wins out (and not just in the area of Sabbath
laws.) We are convinced that we do will have no effect on our society and so we
don’t even try. They open and we come, and we never even consider that there
might be a better way. And one of the downsides of our behavior is that we make
everyday a work day, even for us. Studies have shown that when we do that, our
health declines. The original Sabbath laws were really for our own protection –
to give us time to rest and worship God, and recharge for the week that is
ahead. And without it, we are a compromised (and unhappy) people.
Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading:
Nehemiah 11
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