I’ve only experienced Black Friday in the early hours just after midnight once. Though it’s largely online now and spans several weeks leading up to and beyond the Friday after Thanksgiving, I remember a time when I avoided it at all costs. Then my daughter, in her early teens, began hearing from her friends about going shopping in the middle of the night to get the deals and wanted to see it for herself. Since her birthday falls near Thanksgiving, we gifted her cash and I took her out for the evening.
After standing in a line that circled the parking lot for over an hour in the misting rain outside of Target, the doors opened and she began her shopping. We skirted the big boxes in the aisles and headed to the ladies department where she tried on and chose several tops, then to stationery and candy. At this point, we noticed the lines at the checkout, where every register was opened, snaked back and forth through every aisle from the pharmacy to the paper goods at the back of the store.
Seizing a teachable moment, I explained the wait would mean we wouldn’t make it to any other stores that evening and asked just how badly she wanted the items she had chosen. We pulled up Target’s online store and found the two sweaters she really wanted, added them to the virtual cart and checked out on our way to the parking lot. Then we went for pastries and coffee before calling it a night. Her sweaters arrived a few days later by mail and praise the Lord, she never asked to join the melee that was Black Friday again!
We laugh now as we remember, but what still amazes me is how many people are driven to a frenzy by the promise of a steal or threat of scarcity. They’re willing to camp out in parking lots or stand in line for hours on end. I overheard many conversations between parents of my kids’ classmates recounting the trouble they took to get a limited supply gaming console or toy for their child for Christmas or how they’d unfortunately come home empty handed. Their kids and ours never lacked for anything and though any of them may at one time or other have felt disappointed on Christmas morning, they were surely over it by the New Year.
Our kids are now the working class in an economy where tech companies make it easy enough to upgrade to the latest model smart phone or tablet every year. The window of opportunity is virtually unheard of as anyone can easily buy out any remaining contract and pay to upgrade on demand. Still, some things appear for a limited time and are gone. I may choose to miss out on a bargain simply to avoid the crowds but other opportunities are simply too precious to let pass by.
It took a life or death experience to inspire Jonah, the reluctant prophet, to follow through on God’s command, and even when he obeyed, it was half-hearted at best. In spite of the messenger, the people of Nineveh heard God’s word and took it to heart. They immediately took action, pleading with God and proving by the way they lived that they had repented of their sins and turned to God. (Matthew 3:8)
“On the day Jonah entered the city, he shouted to the crowds:
“Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed!”
The people of Nineveh believed God’s message, and from the greatest to the least, they declared a fast and put on burlap to show their sorrow.
“Who can tell? Perhaps even yet God will change his mind and hold back his fierce anger from destroying us.”
When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened.”
Jonah 3:4-5, 9-10 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jon.3.4-10.NLT
Jesus used Jonah as an object lesson for some Jewish leaders and teachers of the law of God given to Moses when they questioned His authority. Jesus refused to meet their demands, citing Jonah as sign enough foreshadowing his own substitutionary death and resurrection, further teaching that if they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead. (Luke 16:31)
“One day some teachers of religious law and Pharisees came to Jesus and said,
“Teacher, we want you to show us a miraculous sign to prove your authority.”
But Jesus replied, “Only an evil, adulterous generation would demand a miraculous sign; but the only sign I will give them is the sign of the prophet Jonah.
For as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish for three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights.
The people of Nineveh will stand up against this generation on judgment day and condemn it, for they repented of their sins at the preaching of Jonah.
Now someone greater than Jonah is here—but you refuse to repent.”
Matthew 12:38-41 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.12.38-41.NLT
For as Peter, full of the Holy Spirit, preached at Pentecost, “God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this.
Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand.
And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today.
So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!”
Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, “Brothers, what should we do?”
Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.
Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away—all who have been called by the Lord our God.””
Acts of the Apostles 2:32-33, 36-39 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/act.2.36-39.NLT
His invitation stands for us and our children to all future generations, but as Peter also wrote, we must take care not to miss the window of opportunity. (II Peter 3)
“When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day.
In those days, the people enjoyed banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat and the flood came and destroyed them all.
Yes, it will be ‘business as usual’ right up to the day when the Son of Man is revealed.”
Luke 17:26-27, 30 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/luk.17.26-30.NLT
“As God’s partners, we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it.
For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.”
Indeed, the “right time” is now.
Today is the day of salvation.”
2 Corinthians 6:1-2 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/2co.6.2.NLT
“This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out.
Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.
The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here.
So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living.”
Romans 13:11-12 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.13.11-12.NLT
“Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.”
Matthew 3:2 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.3.2.NLT
“You already know these things, dear friends.
So be on guard; then you will not be carried away by the errors of these wicked people and lose your own secure footing.
Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
All glory to him, both now and forever!
Amen.”
2 Peter 3:17-18 NLT
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