There’s something about this time of year that always irks me. Is it the fact that I’m bombarded by Christmas music on the radio and in department stores already? Partially. Is it because I can’t find any fall decor for my new home because stores put up their Christmas displays so early? Partially. Is it because I can’t get online without being overwhelmed by Black Friday ads? Partially. But really, it’s a conglomerate of all of the above, and it stems from one underlying motivation that just really, really bugs me: greed.
We sit back in dismay when our country elects a leader whose moral compass is basically nonexistent, and ask ourselves how that could have possibly happened. I think in the two weeks since the election we’ve got our answer: our nation is self-absorbed and greedy.
We can’t even celebrate one day–ONE day out of 365– that involves being thankful. Instead, we brush over that holiday to get to the really good stuff–Christmas , aka “gimme gimme gimme!” Now don’t get me wrong: I love Christmas. I love it even more now that I’m married to someone who loves Christmas so much, but let’s put Christmas, once and for all, in its proper place—after Thanksgiving! And I don’t mean wait to put up your tree or listen to music or anything like that (though please do that), but I mean don’t put a holiday all about getting what you want over a holiday that emphasizes thanking our Heavenly Father, the giver of all good and perfect gifts (James 1:17).
It’s easy to get carried away. I’ll be honest, a lot of my shopping is already done (hello sales throughout the year). But what I have to watch myself on is my attitude. This time of year, attitudes can go south, quickly. Take all of the Black Friday horror stories for example. When our hearts aren’t filled with thankfulness, greed takes over. And, I’m not saying that Thanksgiving is the only day you should be thankful. What I am saying, though, is that maybe we should all take this time of year to recharge our thankful batteries, instead of just skipping over the turkey and dressing and heading out into the Best Buy line.
It’s not wrong to shop. It’s not wrong to shop on Black Friday. It’s not wrong to like Christmas (giving is better than receiving). But it is wrong to displace a heart of thanksgiving with a heart of greed. Be careful not to let our culture dictate your heart.
