A Black Day

“Black Friday” is a phrase coined a decade or so ago by the retail community as the day when so much money is traded for goods that most retail businesses find themselves out of debt and their bottom line is in black ink instead of red. The day following our national holiday, Thanksgiving, is always Friday, the day that retailers kick off their sales frenzy for the Christmas shopper, and this is where things seem to start getting out of hand. After the meal is finished, the dishes cleaned and put away on Thanksgiving Day, the serious shopper sits down with the newspaper sales flyers to strategize their activities for “Black Friday”. Stores promise to be open at 5 a.m. and the super-serious shopper will actually camp-out overnight on the doorstep increasing their chance of being the first person in the door to grab one of the, not enough in stock, sale items. I will never understand what it is that happens between the prayers of thanksgiving the day before and the unlocking of the retail store door the next morning. If you’re too slow, you get run over and trampled. If you inadvertently step in front of the wrong person, you’ve got a fight on your hands. One woman survived the whole mess only to arrive home and be robbed at gunpoint for a product she spent her whole paycheck on. I don’t know. To me “Black Friday” seems to bring out the “Dark Side” of man’s greed.
The day after Thanksgiving ought to be, “My Personal Best Day Of The Year”. Sounds good doesn’t it? How can I accomplish it? Well, the most useless thing to do …Worry. The greatest joy you can experience …Giving. The most satisfying work you can do …Helping Others. The greatest “shot in the arm” you could ever give someone …Encouragement. The most beautiful attire you could wear …A SMILE! Now, if you truly want to be successful at self-improvement, think about adopting the following. Get rid of your ugliest trait …Selfishness. Overcome your greatest problem …Fear. Tame your deadliest weapon …The tongue. Also remember your most worthless emotion is …Self-pity; and your greatest loss is …Loss of self-respect. Stop making excuses; Own up to your failures. And above all remember; No-one likes a gossip.
[1 John 5: 18-20] Believe me when I say, “Self-improvement is a daily chore.” The apostle Paul struggled with his daily activities as a man when he was tempted, finding himself slipping into sin (Romans 7: 14-25) and admits he had to work on his “self” as he daily ran the race of righteousness. (1 Corinthians 9: 24-27). So, what makes you and I think we are any different. If you’re a child of God then you have the traits of God within you. You have discovered the most effective sleeping pill …Peace of mind. You have an “I can” attitude and a most courageous spirit …Enthusiasm. You’ve discovered the most powerful force in life …Love, and press on every day because you’re filled with …Hope. You deem your greatest asset to be …Faith. And your most prized possession is …Integrity. You always use the most powerful means of communication …Prayer. And the most important thing in life to you is …GOD. “My Personal Best Day Of The Year” ought to include gathering up my traits as a child of God and sharing them with someone lost in sin. John said we know that Jesus came and gave us an understanding of the truth. Paul said it is Jesus who will save us from our sins. A “Black Day” is coming for everyone. Will you be black in sin or red in the blood of your Savior