Don't Trample Your Neighbor!

 In only a few short weeks, we will be at one of the paradoxical holidays of the year. Families from all over will gather together, sit around tables filled with massive steaming mounds of mashed potatoes, golden brown turkeys, and declare to each other just how thankful they are for everything they have. Then, only a few short hours later, they will trample their fellow man in a mad race to get cheap electronics.



It wasn't too long ago that Black Friday barely existed. I can remember laughing at people camping out at Best Buy, when the store didn't open until 7 or 8 the next morning. I'll never forget my friend getting me a bootleg copy of upcoming Black Friday sale ads. Now, the turkey is barely digesting and people are rushing off for great bargains on things they don't really need.

I'm not against sales, I'm not even against Black Friday. I do choose not to go out in the crowds. Last year I did all my shopping online from the comfort of my couch with the fireplace going and coffee in hand.

What does get me is the hypocrisy. "I'm thankful for everything I have...but I gotta have more!!!!" Which brings us to the last thing in Five Things To Do Before Getting Out Of Bed: Be Thankful.

Paul tells us twice in this passage to be thankful, or give thanks. The repetition should cause us to take notice:

Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. 
Colossians 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. 

You might say "well I don't have much to be thankful for". As I told the kids at detention center last night, "Are you breathing?" As long as you have breath, no matter your situation, there's hope to turn it around.

Most importantly, at the top of the list, we should be thanking God for our salvation. Item number one was to get our focus on eternity and the One Who died for us. Are you thankful that your salvation is secure forever and you have a home in heaven? Are you thankful that "...He who began a good work in you..." will be faithful to complete it (Phil 1:6)? If that's all we have, we have everything to be thankful for. But I suspect most of us have way more than that to be thankful for.

So to recap:

1. Get your focus on the One Who died for you
2. Determine that you won't be entertained by the sins He died for
3. Put off the old works of the flesh
4. Put on the works of the Spirit
5. Be thankful

So there you have it - Five Things To Do Before Getting Out of Bed. I hope this study has been a help to you - it's been a blessing for me!