When you purchase something on eBay, Etsy, or another online marketplace, you probably ask the obvious questions: Is this what I want? Is the price right? Can I trust the seller?
But there may be another question worth asking: What am I funding?
Online marketplaces have made it possible to buy directly from individuals and small businesses around the world. That's often a great thing. But it also means our money can travel farther than our awareness does.
The person behind the listing isn't just a username. They're a real person, business, or organization, with beliefs, causes, affiliations, and priorities of their own.
Could your purchase support someone who openly despises America? Could profits eventually support organizations or movements hostile to Christians, Jews, or other groups? Could you be financially strengthening a cause you would never knowingly donate to?
Possibly.
Of course, possibility isn't proof. A seller's nationality, ethnicity, religion, or location does not tell you what they believe or what they support. We should never turn discernment into suspicion of entire groups of people.
Instead, the principle is simple: Know who you're doing business with when you reasonably can.
Scripture says:
“The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps.” -Proverbs 14:15
Christians should care about stewardship beyond simply asking whether we got a good deal. Money has influence. Where we spend it can strengthen businesses, platforms, organizations, and ultimately causes.
That doesn't mean researching the political opinions of everyone who sells you a coffee mug. It means refusing to be deliberately blind when there are legitimate reasons for concern.
If a seller or business publicly celebrates violence, promotes hatred, supports persecution, or advocates the destruction of innocent people, you are not obligated to finance them just because they have the product you want.
Look at the seller. Read the profile. Check where the business operates. When serious claims are involved, verify them rather than trusting a screenshot or viral post. And when you discover that your money would knowingly support something fundamentally opposed to your convictions, take your business elsewhere.
This isn't fear. It isn't hatred. It's stewardship.
Most of us are careful about what we put into our bodies. We should also be willing to consider what we're putting our money behind.
Before you click Buy Now or place a bid next time, maybe add one more question: Do I know what I'm helping fund?
Don't expect everyone else to take up the charge, this is a responsibility that belongs to all!
Devin
Devin Osborne
The Early Church
