Tis the season. The day-after-Thanksgiving news broadcasts focused on Black Friday. The number of people who stood in line for hours to get a “good” deal is absurd to me. Is it only me, or has Thanksgiving become a lost holiday? At least it seems that way if you pay attention to the media.
As a rule, I don’t watch the news. I don’t believe half of what is reported—and the other half is just downright depressing. If that makes me seem like a gal who buries her head in the sand, then so be it. I’ll say so to your face, too, just as soon as I clear the grainy granules from my eyes. However, when I’m at my mother-in-law’s, unless I hide away in the guest room, I have no choice. The news is on in the morning, at noon and in the evening. What I’ve noticed since we arrived a week ago is that shopping is the hot topic these days. Everyone wants to know where to go to get a good deal.
I have a tip for you—if you don’t shop at all, you’ll save a bundle. Not a popular opinion, I’m sure.
And since we’re on the topic of Christmas shopping…It’s sad that “Merry Christmas” is a no-no phrase, and we now hear “Happy Holidays.” We don’t even have Christmas trees anymore—they’re holiday trees. Don’t get me started on why those who don’t believe in Christ even celebrate Christmas. It’s clear from the focus-on-shopping phenomenon it’s all about the gifts. And I’m not talking about the greatest gift ever—the gift of salvation through the blood of Christ.
That being said, I do shop on occasion. My favorite store to go into anytime of year (but most especially during the holiday season) is Hobby Lobby. They exude Christmas, and that’s probably because the company, which started with one store in Oklahoma in 1972, was founded on Christian principles. Today there are 822 retail stores, and they claim their success is because of these principles. God TV Daily published an article in which Hobby Lobby president Steve Green (son of founder David Green) talks about the Bible in his new book, This Beautiful Book.
Curious about what other retailers out there may be founded on Christian values, I did a little research. Most of us know In-N-Out Burger is a Christian-based company, but did you know that Forever 21, Tyson Foods and Alaskan Air are also based and operated on Christian principles?
And even this bury-her-head-in-the-sand gal is aware of the controversy surrounding Chick-fil-A. Christian owner, Dan Cathy, seems to have caved into the onslaught of the LGBTQ community and stopped donating to anti-gay groups such as Salvation Army and Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Although this is disappointing, it should come as no surprise. 2 Timothy 4:3 says, For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.
American Family Association published a “Naughty or Nice” List—retailers who support (or don’t support) Christmas rather than fearing the backlash that comes from those who demand freedom of speech and thought—as long as it’s what they believe. God calls us to hate the sin, but love the sinner; we are to be in the world, but not to be a part of it. This becomes difficult to do in this ever-changing culture. I find myself clinging more and more to my Lord and Savior and scripture, such as these ten verses that inspire Godly courage when fear attacks, is a great place to start.
