For years my family has loved getting up early on Black Friday and have gone shopping for most of our Christmas presents. It has been a bonding time for the four of us. We have split up to divide and conquer the masses of people and the best sales of the year. Then we come together for breakfast and talk about our spoils. Then we go for the second round of things that usually can wait for later in the day, which is still only about 8 or 9 am. But we do avoid certain places as was evident in this morning’s newspaper (Saturday).
Yesterday in the U.S. there was a Walmart worker that got trampled to death in NY and gun shots in a toy store in the South West. Are we crazy or what? On Christmas morning does daddy explain to the kids that mommy’s not with us because she was going for the Malibu Barbie and shot at another mommy going for the same toy. Or does mom tell the kids on Christmas Eve that dad’s sitting in prison because he ran over and killed a store worker so he could get the biggest, HDTV.
I have a friend in the retail business who called this week to remind me of the big sales going on in his stores. He said that he doesn’t like the phrase Black Friday, but calls it Good Friday. Of course many of you know that was the day they crucified Jesus – Good Friday. I know that Black Friday speaks of the day that all stores will be in the black financially and not in the red. So let’s stick with Black Friday and not have any more Good Friday’s where people are getting killed.
I recall and ask that you recall also, that the whole gift giving idea of Christmas started because God gave us the greatest gift of all, his one and only Son. A Savior is born unto us. I know we enjoy the Black Friday sales at our house, but we know that the real gift is Jesus and our giving to one another is a joy that we share in the holiday that reminds us of the greatest gift of all. So when we are standing in front of a harried cashier, let’s share the love and joy and real gift of Christmas. Let’s be patient and kind to those around us. Let us share Christ with others – leave the guns at home and not rush into the stores like wildly crazed maniacs. Maybe we still should be praying for Peace on Earth and Goodwill to all Mankind!
