Thankful for Money for Shopping

Friday - November 27th

Day 27: Attitude of Gratitude

Scripture to Read Today: James 1:16-21

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Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

James 1:17

Today is THE shopping day of the year. Deals are better than ever on what traditionally has been called "Black Friday." Early, leaked versions of big box store Black Friday sales flyers have been a hot commodity recently. Whole websites and smartphone apps have been dedicated to supplying glimpses of these once-a-year sales flyers. In the last decade or so, we have added Cyber Monday and Giving Tuesday to the post-Thanksgiving opportunities to use your money by buying stuff or giving to charity.

Some see nothing but consumer greed in the Black Friday phenomenon. There's even a counter-movement called 'Buy Nothing Day.' It occurs on the same day as Black Friday, but Buy Nothing Day is an international day of protest against consumerism and Black Friday itself. Participants wander around shopping malls or other consumer havens with a blank stare.

Here is part of the entry to the Buy Nothing Day on Wikipedia:

The first Buy Nothing Day was organized in Canada in September 1992 "as a day for society to examine the issue of overconsumption." In 1997, it was moved to the Friday after Thanksgiving, also called "Black Friday, " one of the ten busiest shopping days. In 2000, some advertisements by Adbusters promoting Buy Nothing Day were denied advertising time by almost all major television networks and newspapers. Soon, ad campaigns promoting Buy Nothing Day started appearing in the United States, the United Kingdom, Israel, Austria, Germany, New Zealand, Japan, the Netherlands, France, Norway, and Sweden. Participation now includes more than 65 nations.

The Bible identifies greed (or "the lust of the eyes") as one of the three cores to this fallen world's empty, godless philosophy. Without denying that reality and its dangers to our lives and families, Black Friday can be used by the followers of Christ as a day not only to get good deals but to stop and thank God for the money and financial blessings He gives us. James 1:17 says, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." God gives us the health, education, capacity, and opportunities to have a job and earn an income.

Whether you celebrate today as Black Friday or Buy Nothing Day, remember that what you have and your ability to buy anything more all comes from God. Take time to thank Him (yes, I know you just did that yesterday). It never hurts us to exercise an attitude of gratitude!

Whatever funds you have to spend today, you have because of God! Thank Him for every good and perfect gift!