Black Friday?
Scripture Zechariah
7:8-13
8 And the word of the Lord
came to Zechariah, saying, 9 “Thus
says the Lord of hosts, Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one
another, 10 do not
oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of
you devise evil against another in your heart.” 11 But they refused to pay attention and turned a
stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear. 12 They made their
hearts diamond-hard lest they should hear the law and the words that the Lord
of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets. Therefore great
anger came from the Lord of hosts. 13 “As
I called, and they would not hear, so they called, and I would not hear,” says
the Lord of hosts
Meditation:
Today is “black Friday”, the day
when our country sinks into a cesspool of greed and hedonism. The strange thing
is that it comes the day after thanksgiving. A day to give thanks for what we
already have. A day that should be an announcement of our contentment with our
material goods.
Yet the next day declares that all
our thanksgiving was a lie. As we seek to find more and more stuff for
ourselves and others. Waiting in long lines to get in and out of stores shows
our steadfast resistance to contentment and thanksgiving for what we already
have obtained. Our bull-headed desire for more and better are given full vent
on this day.
Black Friday originally got its name
because this was the day that the merchants finally went into the black in their
sales. I can think of a new reason for that moniker. Today is black because it
shows the greed and the lack of thankfulness that we are capable of displaying.
Instead of staying home and enjoying
our family and the things that the Lord has provided we rush out to acquire
more things and stuff. Today would be a good time to hear and obey the words of
the prophet Zechariah. Instead of throwing elbows as we get in line for to pay
for more stuff, we could show kindness to the poor and helpless at the margins
of society. We could make this day two of thanksgiving that would last all year
long. Join me in continuing to give thanks.
Prayer:
Dear
holy Father, help us to continue to give thanks this day. Help us to realize
that we already have more than enough already. Teach us that black Friday is
just a marketing illusion to make us discontent with what we already have. Help
us seek to please you on this day. Help us to be content with what we have and
to have soft hearts toward are less fortunate neighbors and friends and to give
to each one that is in need. Amen.
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