WOW…
That’s about all I can say about Black Friday this year. Stores are now opening at 9 PM on THURSDAY for the convenience of their shoppers. Let’s see…Toys R’ Us opened at 9, Walmart opened at 10, and Best Buy & Kohl’s opened at midnight. It’s a RACE!
I went to Best Buy tonight at midnight. For those of you that know me, you know that I’m a tech geek and love Best Buy (Apple, too). I went to the store with nothing specific in mind, knowing that there are unpublished specials that are in-store. Thought I might pick up a season of a TV series we like, find a good deal on headphones, etc.
What I found was ASTONISHING! There were probably 1,000 people in line…NO JOKE. The line went from the front door to the side of the building, down the side of the building to the back, THEN all the way across the back of the store, AROUND the other side of the building!!! WOAH!
All this for a CHANCE at a $200 HDTV? A $300 laptop?
I don’t know…I love my electronics…you love the things you love and are willing to brave the crazy people during Black Friday. But the first thing that God brought to my mind was Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:19-21:
Don’t hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being. (Peterson, E. H. (2002). The Message : The Bible in contemporary language (Mt 6:19–21). Colorado Springs, Colo.: NavPress.)
It’s convicting to me. I was thinking about the fact that we are willing to stand in lines for HOURS (I heard that people were lining up in tents at our Best Buy at 3 PM and earlier today) for stuff…more stuff…meaningless stuff. Believe me, I’ve stood in my share of lines too, so this is convicting to me as well.What if we re-directed those energies…those funds…our time...our families…toward our Savior? To where our treasure should be…dream with me:
- Maybe hunger could be a thing of the past
- Maybe that neighbor that needs Jesus would MEET Jesus
- Maybe that family member that is struggling would be changed by God’s amazing grace
- Maybe abortions would decrease and be eliminated
- Maybe the homeless population would be greatly lessened
- Maybe medicine would reach AIDS-stricken Africa (along with the AIDS education they so desperately need)
- Maybe child slavery/prostitution would be abolished
- Maybe we’d develop a love and hunger for God’s Word that couldn’t be quenched
- Maybe we’d see marriages healed
- Maybe we’d see children drawn back to their parents
- Maybe we’d see parents leading their children in Christ
- Maybe we’d see our churches fulfill their calling
- Maybe we’d be men and women after God’s own heart
Maybe…
That’s a big word, MAYBE. It’s unsure. It’s scary. Possibly that’s the reason we don’t dedicate our whole selves to God…the word, MAYBE. We’re not sure if He will come through. So…we divide our hearts, our treasures, our time with one foot in the world and one foot with God. We become the church of Laodocea.
Is Jesus worth our treasure? Is he worth our time? Where is my heart today? Here, or in Christ? Big questions. I hope you’ll take the time to consider them today…as I have.
MAYBE…we’ll look more like Jesus as a result.
NOW GO GET SOME SLEEP AFTER ALL THAT SHOPPING! ;)
