28.11.13

Turkey and Greed

This time of the year is a difficult one for me, I  have difficulty with the day after Thanksgiving. There is something that just makes me sick in gut. We spend the day 'giving thanks' for all we have, and here in America, we have an abundance of things. Most people seem to try to live beyond their means to impress people. "Oh, look at George, he has that newest pick up." "Oh Susan has the newest iPhone, she is always so tech savvy!"
I am not saying its bad to have nice things. I want nice things, I think we all do. However WHY we want them is the reason. Do we want to show off? Do we want to make our lives a little more comfortable? Do we have an impulsive need to have the best and newest? Why is it we turn from civilized people into a herd of monsters on what has become known as Black Friday? People die on this day. PEOPLE DIE. Every year there is a story about someone who is either assaulted, or trampled underfoot by the masses who NEED that special deal. It sickens me! And how do we respond? We mark it earlier. Now, these deals start on Thanksgiving day, a day that since its inception by President Lincoln has been supposed to be a day of giving thanks. Now It didn't become and official holiday until FDR signed it into effect. but it was celebrated after the Civil War, so its been around a while.
Now, as someone who works in retail, I have had to deal with the madness that it brings a lot. Each year, I get a little more jaded, and I don't like that. We as a culture become more commercial about the holidays. They give a justification to spend money we don't have, and we do. I have been told to not give some Christmas presents so we can not spend money, but I will do it, because I want to give, for I have been given much. I think we need more of that mentality, that we need to understand. In a culture of abundance, we have become a culture of greedy selfish people who need to understand that love  is the greatest gift, and it was love that bore the greatest gift of all: The grace, and salvation from Christ Jesus. God loved us enough, while we live so selfishly, that He gave EVERYTHING for us. He gave His Son, and He poured the wrath we DESERVE  onto His own Son, whom He loved dearly, and He loved us perfectly, and we need to grasp the reality of that.
So this year, really give thanks for what you have. Do you have a roof over your head? Be thankful.
Food to eat today? Be thankful.
Family to spend it with? Be thankful.
Some people would give all they have for one of those things.
And give thanks to God, who has given you this and more. If you do not know God personally as you saviour, call unto Him and give Him thanks for saving us by the blood of His murdered Son.
He will never turn you away.

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