Oh Kermit, the Wise One!

Kermit the Frog once said “It’s not easy being green!” Today he would say “it’s not easy being green unless it’s economically convenient.” Many are passionate about the environment when there is something to gain: savings, feeling better, better gas mileage, etc. Yet when push comes to shove their passion really isn’t the environment, it’s another type of green – money!

Now don’t hear me wrong. Yes, there are those who really are passionate about the environment – the tree huggers! I’m not talking about this crowd. I’m talking about those who claim to be passionate about something, yet only take action when it’s convenient or there is something to gain.

From Waiting List to Overstocked

Now that gas prices have come down, hybrids are a tough sell these days. The LA Times reports, “Last month, only 15,144 hybrids sold nationwide, down almost two-thirds from April, when the segment’s sales peaked and gas averaged $3.57 a gallon. That’s far larger than the drop in industry sales for the period and scarcely a better showing than January, when hybrid sales were at their lowest since early 2005.”

Should this be the case? Where’s the passion? Was it really just about the money? Just a year ago, buying a hybrid car was just about the coolest thing a hippie out in California could do. Isn’t it funny how economics change people’s commitment to their most heart-felt causes? With gasoline prices down, unemployment high, hybrid cars are going out of style faster than the moonwalk dance. Here’s the funny part: manufacturers are still cranking out new hybrid models. No wonder, the big three are on the verge of bankruptcy! Here’s the supply curve, here’s the demand curve. Any questions?

How Serious Are you About Your Cause?
Is your faith strong or weak? What moral and social issues are important to you? Do you let money get in the way of doing what you’re passionate about? If you truly stand for what you believe, you are willing to fight, no matter what the cost. We can learn quite a bit from William Wilberforce (1759-1833). Have you seen the movie Amazing Grace?

William was a British politician, a philanthropist, and a leader of the movement to abolish the slave trade. In 1785 he underwent a conversion experience and became an evangelical Christian, which resulted in major changes to his lifestyle and a lifelong concern for reform. He persevered for his cause until the very day he died. He never gave up. He fought on. Failure after failure, he pressed on. He knew deep within his heart, that the cause was bigger than he.

Just as Wilberforce had clear convictions of his values, are you willing to stand for what you believe in? It is easy to blend in with the crowd and let life pass you by. It is easy to say nothing and do nothing. It takes courage, strength, and perseverance to stand for what is right, especially when the world stands against you. Many Americans know what they value yet do nothing about it. Many allow cultural influences to shape life decisions rather than turning to God’s Word. If we all stand for what we believe in, we can make a difference. One by one, we can change the world.