Black Friday descends upon the masses, promising deals so grand, we are to forsake our loved ones and camp out in parking lots before the rooster crows. Workers nervously wait behind a thin wall of sliding glass, anticipating the ravenous locusts.
Why?
What is the grand prize shoppers seek on Black Friday?
Thank heavens! I was notified with a “Christmas Catalog” showcasing the decorations I need to celebrate at maximum levels of merriment. Let’s see the breakdown of Christmas decorations on sale:
Decorative Pine Cones – 5%
It’s Christmas! What better way to signify the season than with random pine cones scattered throughout your house.
Snow Flakes – 7%
A necessary item for those stuck in warm climates; it’s not Christmas until it snows.
Christmas Lights – 18%
Christmas would be way too safe if I didn’t have a reason to climb on my frozen roof and arrange tiny lights.
Santa, Elves, and Reindeer – 20%
This assorted group makes and delivers our valuable goodies on Christmas Eve. When they aren’t doing that, they sell colas and fudge cookie sandwiches.
Snowmen (and Women) – 20%
Unless you have two eyes made out of coal, you’ll see snowmen everywhere you look. Snowmen are well dressed, sporting top hats and scarves – it’s like round, frozen, Millennials standing watch in your front yard.
Fake Christmas Trees – 27%
Like good Americans, we’ve maxed out our credit cards and amassed mountains of gifts…but where can we place them? I wish there was a tree we could stuff them under. Don’t you worry, my friend, we’ve got the right tree for you. Want something modern? Go for the glass look. Like things clean and neat? Get a white tree. Then there’s always the classic green model. Crisis averted!
Hmm, Am I Forgetting Something???
This is a lot of great stuff! But I can’t shake this nagging feeling that I’m missing something…
Nativity – 3%
For $69.99 a 21″ battery operated “Lighted Holy Family” can be yours! Batteries sold separately. One lonely symbol is offered to represent Christ. How sad!
How can the Light of the world be promoted less than a string of artificial lights?
Isaiah 9:2 (NIV)
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.
Jesus Christ’s entry into the world is the greatest blessing mankind could ever know. It used to be the reason Christmas was celebrated. Now Christmas is reduced to a reason to shop for gifts. Black Friday is simply the kickoff to a season that had its heart ripped out by consumerism. May the light of Christ once again burn bright and return to the center of our culture!
John 1:9-14 (NIV)
The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
The Sullivan Spin 
A thoughtful post. Traditionally, in our small household of my mother, my brother and me we celebrated Christmas as a family get together with gift giving. There was no religious connotation to it, though we were Christian. My mother believed that if we celebrated Christmas as the birth of Christ we should give all of our gifts to Him. That made perfect sense to me. Even so, I’ve always celebrated Christmas as the birth of Christ symbolically. I give gifts to my family (spend too much) and I give gifts as an ambassador to Christ (not as much as I should). My thoughts are anytime there is an opportunity to share the spirit of giving with Christ as the inspiration, it is a good thing.
Excellent post.
–Pam
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Thanks Pam🙂 giving with Christ in mind certainly promotes the heart of God to a lost world. That sounds wonderful.
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Lol especially at the snowman part! Good reminder.
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Thanks Lily! 🙂 you’ll never look at snowmen the same.
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Hi brother as we enter the Christmas season let’s remember this Bible Verse.1 Corinthians 9:19-23 New King James Version (NKJV)
Serving All Men
19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; 20 and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the [a]law, that I might win those who are under the law; 21 to those who are without law, as without law (not being without [b]law toward God, but under [c]law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; 22 to the weak I became [d]as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 23 Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.
It’s not about presents but His Presence and that He came and died on the cross rose again 3 days later is coming back soon and saved those of us who would believe in Him and Receive Him as our Savior and Lord when we were far off and rotten sinners headed for Hell but now we are headed for Heaven because we are saved by Grace through Faith Alone in Christ Alone and one one else not even works! Jesus Paid it All!
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Right, we should focus on the True Light and not the artificial.
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Yes but does not the artificial symbolize that Jesus is the Light of the world I thin Martin Luther talked about that.
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Artificial lights could. I guess it depends on the form and motivation.
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Yes I agree but they don’t hold a candle to the fact that Jesus is the True Light.
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Nothing does. 🙂
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Nope.
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JESUS IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON!!
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Amen.
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Amen.
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I enjoyed the creative way you addressed Black Friday. Yes it is sad that The Light of the World is trumped by decorations and fluff.
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Thanks! John 1:10 is true for us too…
“He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.”
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