"14 shopping days til Christmas" - "Order now to receive your gifts in time" - "Buy one get one!" - "Shop for others, get Christmas cash for yourself"........ we are bombarded each minute. It's all about the stuff. So how does all of this fit in with the Journey?
It goes back to the destination - what is yours? For so many, it IS all about the gifts. No matter how many times we say it or read "Christmas is not about the presents" - in reality, it is. How many of you let all of your plans revolve around what gift you will give to each person? We put off thinking about the huge credit card bills that will arrive in January and focus only on the joy of the moment when the 'perfect gift' is opened. There were many years in my past that our tree was insanely piled with way too many gifts. We had the money to spend, so we did. Even then it bothered me. Out of necessity we have changed our ways- and though there is still focus on gift giving, it is so different than it used to be.
So how do we approach 'shopping' on our Advent Journey? I used to love the process of shopping ~ the festive crowds, finding the great deals and the joy in finding just the right item. So today I have been pondering the elements of shopping:
*making a list
*planning where to go and how much time and money to spend
My destination this year is to draw closer to God in a way I never have before. I want to be so filled with God's purpose for me that everything else fades away. So if I am 'shopping' for that I need to make my list. What do I need in order to reach my destination? Then I need to plan where to go in order to get those things. When shopping I have a budget, so I need to budget for this as well. Mostly time - which seems to be the most difficult to manage. Time for prayer, Bible study, service and worship.
Why do we shop for the things that we do? Mostly we respond to ads. I have been doing a lot of knitting lately and I did a search online for a certain type of knitting needle. Within seconds my social media feed was filled with ads for knitting items. (newsflash - if you think that you can do anything online without someone watching - you can't!) Our daughter does not have cable television in their home. They watch recorded movies, or shows on NetFlix, so they don't see commercials. When the granddaughters come to visit sometimes they watch TV at our home and immediately the thing they focus on are the ads "Grammy, I want that!" "Grammy - look, we need that!"
Here is a what-if for you: what if our world was filled with advertisements that were so appealing and inviting for God that we couldn't resist? What if you saw an ad that prompted you to pray in such a way that you simply had to pray right then and there? Think also of the ads for charitable organizations. I'm not saying they aren't worthy - of course we should support those places that help animals, children with cancer, veterans and elderly. What if instead the 'ad' was for the widow who lived 2 doors away from you that hadn't eaten a full dinner meal in weeks - would that ad play on your emotions enough to make you act? Would you open your wallet and shop for her as quickly as you would the malnourished dog that is on the screen? What if the ad was for a method of prayer and Bible study that would put you more in tune with God, without spending a dime - would that move you as much as the flashing plea for the latest and greatest phone that will deplete your bank account for months to come?
Shopping - it's how we spend our time and money. What will you shop for this year?
Matthew 6:19-21 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." NIV
Will I still buy and give gifts this year? Yes. As a token of love and expression of care. Will they be extravagant and excessive? No. It has taken a long time to break the bonds of consumer greed, but it feels good to look to those other treasures that are so precious to give.
Advent challenge #5: Make a shopping list today of the things you can give of eternal value. Maybe you need to give a gift to yourself?
Prayer: God help me to see beyond to flashy ads of the season. Help me to look 'next door' at those who are in need every day. Keep me on the Journey for the right reason this year. Help me draw closer to You. Amen.
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