A friend of mine posted a video today of a scene that took place on
"Black Friday". It was so disturbing to me, that I needed to “talk” about it and
share it with you. After watching it, I thought about how this must make God feel, watching us
behave in such a selfish manner. As I tried to think back over the years, I started to wonder when the meaning of the holiday season changed from one that was spent with loved ones, giving of ourselves to others, and thanking God for our blessings, to a season filled with selfishness, anger, and “shopping for the best deals?” We need to remember that the stores are not doing this out of love for us or for our well-being, but for their bottom dollar.
Matthew 24:42-44, “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come…So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”
Have you ever heard the saying, “You never see a hearse pulling a U-Haul?” All of these material things that we feel we, “have to have,” are things we can’t take with us when we go. Eventually, these material items will break, wear out, go out of style, or we will become bored with them, and they will sit somewhere collecting dust.
Matthew 6:19, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.”
There is nothing wrong with looking for deals, buying on sale, or buying gifts for someone you love (in fact, I love a great deal!), but once we cross the line and this becomes our focus, they have become the “idols” in our lives. God tells us in Matthew 6:24 that we cannot serve both God and mammon (deceitful riches, money, possessions, or whatever is trusted in). The 2012 holiday season that is upon us should not be a season filled with stress and anxiety, but a time to reflect on what Jesus did for us, a time to show His love to others, because LOVE is the most important thing! Some of my favorite gifts are the ones that were handmade by my children.
Today (Saturday), I was talking to the cashier after picking up a few items for one of my final school projects due this week. As we were talking, she told me that she had to work on "Grey Thursday" because their store was open and she couldn't get off (I won't say the name of the store, but it is well known). She was almost in tears as she continued to share with me that as she left home, her daughter was in tears and didn't want her to go. This breaks my heart! More employers and shoppers need to hear these kinds of stories.
I did find an encouraging article discussing an alternative to "Black Friday" called “Bless Friday” that I'd like to share with you: Bless Friday: Houston Churches Offer Black Friday Alternative. We should all purpose to get on board
and do something like this next year on Black Friday. Let's make a statement and start our own movement! Let the enemy know that we are
not going to allow him to steal from us the true meaning of THANKSgiving
and CHRISTmas!