Jesus Saves at WALMART?

 

There is something wrong with this picture. I love Jesus. I don’t think the deep meaning in Jesus’ “saving me” is to find great bargains at Walmart. How caught up are we in holiday bargain shopping? How caught up are we in the power Jesus has to make us content with what we already have? What exactly did Jesus “save us” to find this holiday season? It would be a shame to unwrap the wrong gift.

It would be a shame to unwrap the wrong gift.

Chicken farmers have a great trick for fattening birds. They put a few hens in the yard to eat their fill. Then, they release more hungry hens. As the new birds feverishly peck grain, the full birds start to eat again…just as fast. They do not want to miss out! The farmer does this several times a day. The hens plump up nicely for our grocery store aisles. I like a nice chicken dinner. I do not want to be the chicken.  

Now that the holiday shopping season has started, I can see the frenzy. I’ll be honest. I like a good deal too. Christmas is coming. Wise shopping can put extra gifts under our tree. I like to praise God for good deals! My loved ones are shopping too. They are spending money. What if I don’t give them an equal gift?   

Still, consumption without reflection is credulity. I do not want to be the chicken consumer who takes more because wave after wave of hungry shoppers snatch goods off the shelves. Consumer “feeding frenzy” is real. We love stuff! And, loving stuff can lead to all kinds of trouble (1 Timothy 6:10).

Still, consumption without reflection is credulity.

I first read this suggestion from Jim Wallis. It has blessed me. Make you decisions about gift giving in conversation with your friends and family. Get everybody on the same page before all the spending happens. You could try sending around this blog post to get the conversation going. Your values, not commercials, should inform how you show your gratefulness to those you love. 

Did Jesus “save you” to find something deeper this year?

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