{"id":8077,"date":"2020-04-17T09:44:19","date_gmt":"2020-04-17T13:44:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/?p=8077"},"modified":"2020-04-17T09:44:19","modified_gmt":"2020-04-17T13:44:19","slug":"toilet-paper-a-case-study-on-humanity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/toilet-paper-a-case-study-on-humanity\/","title":{"rendered":"Toilet Paper: A Case Study on Humanity"},"content":{"rendered":"

What\u2019s up with\u00a0the empty toilet paper shelves?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

On a list of\u00a0unexpectedly fascinating aspects\u00a0of this COVID-19\u00a0global crisis, toilet paper (or the lack thereof) would have to make that list.\u00a0I\u2019m not sure anyone would have\u00a0equated a pandemic to toilet paper shortages\u00a0\u2013 though that seems to be the situation we are in.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In fact, several news articles have\u00a0recently been\u00a0published that seek to\u00a0explain this\u00a0phenomenon.\u00a0<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

A\u00a0Bit of Context<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

The\u00a0<\/span>National Post<\/span><\/a>\u00a0explains\u00a0it\u00a0as such:\u00a0\u201cfear of scarcity created scarcity.\u201d\u00a0An international tweet went viral, warning fellow countrymen to get toilet paper while they still could. Pictures of empty shelves\u00a0began sprouting up over the internet\u00a0and what started as a groundless\u00a0warning turned into a self-fulfilling prophecy.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In another\u00a0article,\u00a0<\/span>The Philadelphia Inquirer<\/span><\/a>\u00a0elicited\u00a0the help of a few professionals to weigh in on the matter.\u00a0While\u00a0some of the shortage is caused by unforeseeable setbacks in\u00a0the current supply chain management process (which is typically stable and predictable in the TP market), the issue can be traced to one word: hoarding.\u00a0People aren\u2019t using toilet paper more, per se\u00a0(after all,\u00a0CV-19 is a\u00a0respiratory\u00a0virus). They\u00a0have just chosen to\u00a0fill up their linen closets with this now-precious commodity.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why is that?<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

An Explanation<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Sources like\u00a0<\/span>Psychology Today<\/span><\/a>\u00a0put\u00a0the blame\u00a0on\u00a0economics \u2013 specifically game theory\u00a0(even\u00a0citing a fascinating\u00a0video displaying the hysteria).\u00a0<\/span>Ars\u00a0Technica<\/span><\/a>\u00a0arrives\u00a0dangerously close to the\u00a0explanation, but then diverts the attention to\u00a0social media.\u00a0While it may be easy to look to failures in systems,\u00a0this type of phenomena began\u00a0long before\u00a0the arrival of\u00a0capitalism\u00a0or Twitter\u2026<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In Genesis\u00a03,\u00a0we see the inception of the thought,\u00a0\u201cGod will not take care of me,\u201d introduced into the\u00a0mind\u00a0of\u00a0mankind. Convinced of this lie, our first parents\u00a0acted on their doubt and, in turn,\u00a0plummeted the\u00a0entirety of humanity into sin, corruption, and death.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Our default mentality turned from\u00a0loving God with all we are and loving our neighbor as ourselves\u00a0(Matthew 22:37-39)\u00a0to\u00a0loving ourselves with\u00a0all\u00a0we are, at the expense of our neighbor (Genesis 6:5).\u00a0According to\u00a0Jeremiah 17:9, the heart of man is \u201cmore\u202fdeceitful than all else\u00a0and is desperately\u202fsick\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why are folks hoarding TP\u00a0en\u00a0masse?\u00a0Because of our wickedly selfish hearts\u00a0that\u00a0default to\u00a0\u201cwhat about me\u201d rather than \u201cwhat about you?\u201d\u00a0Suddenly blaming\u00a0economics\u00a0sounds like an ideal alternative\u2026<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

The Solution<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

In a short\u00a0<\/span>video<\/span><\/a>\u00a0about this hoarding phenomenon, Pastor Steve Viars\u00a0draws from\u00a0what the Apostle John teaches in his first epistle \u2013\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But\u202fwhoever has the world\u2019s goods, and sees his brother in need and\u202fcloses his\u202fheart\u202fagainst him,\u202fhow does the love of God abide in him?<\/em><\/span>\u00a0\u2013 1 John 3:17<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The solution\u00a0Pastor Viars\u00a0presents\u00a0is simple\u00a0and serves as the antithesis to the problem:\u00a0compassion.\u00a0Why would you take that which you do not need at the expense of others?\u00a0A heart of compassion and care toward others\u00a0would make quick work of ending\u00a0this shortage.\u00a0The verse before\u00a0the referenced passage\u00a0says it like this\u00a0\u2013\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

We know love by this, that\u202fHe laid down His life for us; and\u202fwe ought to lay down our lives for the\u202fbrethren<\/em><\/span>.\u00a0\u2013 1 John 3:16<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Jesus\u00a0not only provides the\u00a0means\u00a0that enable us to\u00a0consider others over ourselves, but He provides us with the ultimate\u00a0example\u00a0of what this looks like.\u00a0Hoarding in a time of great need expresses \u201cI live; you die.\u201d Jesus\u00a0entered\u00a0into\u00a0the world and\u00a0exemplified\u00a0\u201cI\u00a0die that you may live.\u201d\u00a0<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Some Take-aways<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Our toilet paper panic\u00a0has\u00a0certainly\u00a0been an interesting case study\u00a0on the\u00a0nature of mankind. It\u2019s often in times of desperation that we see\u00a0the internal\u00a0makeup\u00a0of a person or group\u00a0exposed, or as Jesus says it, \u201c[the]\u00a0mouth speaks from\u202fthat which fills\u00a0[the]\u00a0heart\u201d (Luke 6:45).\u00a0The same goes with purchasing practices.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What does compassion look like for you in this area? Maybe it\u2019s as simple as asking the question you\u00a0had always asked yourself when walking past the toilet paper section: \u201cdo we need\u00a0TP?\u201d If the honest answer is no, might I suggest leaving\u00a0it (assuming you miraculously happen upon a roll or two)\u00a0for someone in need?\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Perhaps you\u00a0were one of the folks who hoarded or have made a practice of it\u00a0(even\u00a0with items outside of TP).\u00a0Use it as an opportunity to do a bit of heart surgery\u00a0(What motivated you? Lack of trust,\u00a0sense of accomplishment,\u00a0disregard for others,\u00a0fear,\u00a0social conformity,\u00a0etc.), then\u00a0turn the focus\u00a0off\u00a0self onto\u00a0Christ and\u00a0others.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When is a thief no longer a thief? When he is \u201clabor[ing],\u202fperforming with his own hands what is good,\u202fso that he will have\u202fsomething\u202fto share with\u202fone who has need\u201d (Ephesians 6:28). When is the\u00a0hoarder no longer a hoarder? When he is\u00a0distributing rather than collecting.\u00a0<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

A Closing Remark<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

In His divine sovereignty, the Lord has given us an opportunity to show compassion\u00a0toward others\u00a0in an area as simple as\u00a0not buying toilet paper if we don\u2019t need it. Brothers and sisters\u00a0\u2013 I\u2019m not sure we will get this kind of\u00a0gentle-underhand-softball toss\u00a0of an opportunity\u00a0again\u00a0in our lifetime; one\u00a0that enables us to shine the light of Jesus\u00a0in such a\u00a0practical way.\u00a0Let\u2019s hit this one out of the park.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What\u2019s up with\u00a0the empty toilet paper shelves?\u00a0 On a list of\u00a0unexpectedly fascinating aspects\u00a0of this COVID-19\u00a0global crisis, toilet paper (or the lack thereof) would have to make that list.\u00a0I\u2019m not sure anyone would have\u00a0equated a pandemic to toilet paper shortages\u00a0\u2013 though that seems to be the situation we are in.\u00a0 In fact, several news articles have\u00a0recently… read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":86,"featured_media":8079,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nToilet Paper: A Case Study on Humanity - Faith Church Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.faithlafayette.org\/church\/toilet-paper-a-case-study-on-humanity\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Toilet Paper: A Case Study on Humanity - 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