I was reading a newsletter several days ago and came across an article entitled, “Fast Fashion.” It sounded interesting so I decided to take a look and I admit that it wasn’t what I thought it would be. It turns out that the phrase ‘Fast Fashion” refers to people who really want to be up to date with all the latest stuff going on in the fashion world and so they always buy the latest and greatest fashions out there.
However, most of these people can’t really afford to spend that much money on their wardrobe so there is a growing demand to buy absolutely cheap, inferior clothes to meet the growing demand for the newest fashions. In fact, these clothes are so cheap that they will fall apart before they have been worn ten times. Now why anyone would want to invest in this sort of thing is beyond me. But there are hordes of people who are so intent on “keeping up with the Joneses” that they don’t care if their cheap clothes fall apart – because they didn’t lose that much money and then they get to go out and buy another wardrobe full of fast fashion clothes for the next month or so.
I know, I know… this seems impossible to believe. But it’s true. And with the addictions in society relating to social media, etc. it does seem possible that some folks are addicted to this fast fashion lifestyle. But this addiction isn’t the worst of it.
There is a tremendous amount of collateral damage. These fast fashion brands, such as H&M, SHEIN, Temu, Princess Polly and Boohoo, depend on ultra cheap labor in third world countries and focus on an incredible pace – often releasing thousands of units each day. Their marketing encourages high consumption and quick turnover. Even worse, the materials used are cheap synthetics and have become the focus of investigations into landfill waste. The EPA estimates that the U.S. alone generates 17 tons of textile waste per year.
These cheap synthetic materials can take hundreds of years to biodegrade in landfills and fast fashion contributes more to climate change than all international flights and shipping combined. They use more than 93 billion cubic meters of water a year! The system is perpetuated by hiring workers who make as little as $1.58 per hour. So you can see that it is a monumental challenge to stop this whole practice.
To confront this growing problem, suggestions include wearing clothes longer than discarding them in favor of new clothes. Also, purchasing clothes made of wool, cotton and other natural fibers that will last longer and are more comfortable are great ways to fight the fast fashion craze. But let’s face it, we all know people who always want the latest and greatest, many times just wanting to be the center of attention.
During my years as a pastor/teacher, I have come across many people who practice their spiritual life in much the same way. Anytime there is a new religious fad, or something that they think will be easier and draw attention to themselves, some folks just can’t stick with the basics. Now I’m not saying that we shouldn’t grow in our faith, but faith requires a commitment to discipline and adherence to what I will call biblical basics.
We are to love God, honor our parents, love one another and follow other commands that Jesus challenged us to uphold. As you have heard me say before, Jesus is a master at the “upside down kingdom,” urging us to become more like Him and less like the world that we live in. He even implores us to pray for life on earth to be as it is in heaven.
Jesus is our true North. He’s not synthetic – He is the real thing… And we are better off for following Him than all the crazy fads and distractions that bombard us each day. Stay the course… Follow Jesus… Don’t be fooled by imitations or momentary deviations that seem like some new and improved way to go.
Our verse for tonight highlights the fact that there is only one way to eternal life. No shortcuts, no way to earn it, no synthetics. The apostle John tells us, in John 14:6, “Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” That says it all, doesn’t it? No fads, just authentic worship and commitment to Jesus.
My encouragement this evening is that we all have a chance to live authentic, dedicated lives. We don’t need to try the latest craze, or look for loopholes or shortcuts in the Scripture. The path is simple… Accept Jesus as Lord and Savior and try to become more like Him throughout your earthly life. My prayer is that we will spread the Good News of Jesus and do our part to maintain our spiritual health. Have a great day in the Lord, grace and peace…