A Christian's Thoughts about Black Friday

In 4 days, stores all over America will open very early as American consumers will come pouring in to spend their money on all sorts of toys, electronics, clothes, furniture, Christmas decorations, books, magazines, music, movies, and games. 

This is the first time I have ever worked for a retail store (Target) right before and (eventually) during Black Friday.  The whole thing is starting to disgust me.  For the past week, I have been unpacking, handling, stocking, shelving, and processing cheap, mass-produced plastic from China, books, movies and CD's that would embarrass almost anyone with an ounce of biblical morality, Christmas decorations which will probably be thrown in the garbage on January 1st, 2013 or get stuffed back into a box and put in a dark corner of an attic for the next 11 months, and a menagerie of other things which usually leave me thinking, "Will someone in their right mind actually buy this?!?!?" 

To top it all off, as I work at Target, I get a glimpse into the daily lives of the people who come to shop and sadly, I see more and more the effects of the breakdown of Christian culture, the loss of a biblical worldview, and the fragmenting of relationships.  I see moms getting very angry and sharp with their unruly children.  I observe teenagers with their iPods and iPhones, just checked out from reality and wishing they were anywhere but here with their parents.  Dads on cell phones rush past me, hoping that an action figure from a movie will make up for all the time they neglect to spend with their sons.  Little kids whine and cry when they don't get what they want and stressed out parents and grandparents pace up and down the store aisles, running their eyes over a wide variety of toys, games, and clothing.

With all of these thoughts and emotions running through my mind over the past couple of days, I came across a passage of Scripture which speaks with blazing conviction about the materialism and selfishness that is promoted on Black Friday, all in the name of "holiday spirit and celebration".

"Then He [Christ] said to them, 'Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.' And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive. And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God."
-Luke 12:15-21

I hope I don't come across as saying that shopping for Christmas, managing your money prudently by taking advantage of sales, or owning goods and possessions is wrong.  I'll be the first to decry that position. God gives us possessions on this earth for us to enjoy and, more importantly, to use to bring Him glory and advance His Kingdom.  But I hope that all of us, myself included, will obey Christ's command in Luke 12:15, "Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions."  We know that the unbeliever seeks eagerly after worldly belongings (Matt. 6:32) to the hurt of his own soul.  So, in conclusion, I hope that my experience at Target during this Black Friday will motivate me to be praying for the victory of the Gospel over the lives of the Americans who are trapped, oftentimes unknowingly, in the bog of materialism.  And I hope that all of you, my readers, will join me in searching our own hearts about any materialism that is lurking within us, and in having a desire to witness to those around us, telling them that this life does not consist of owning the biggest HD TV, the newest gaming system, the most fashionable clothes, the snazziest house decorations, or the latest bestseller from the New York Times. 

We exist to glorify God, enjoy Him forever, and to love our neighbors.  We are to buy and use our belongings to serve God and to bless our brothers and sisters.  That is what the Christian should be doing on Black Friday and that is what I hope to learn and practice both this year and the years to come. 

For Christ's Crown, Church, and Covenant...
Joel Stanton