I have successfully managed to stay in the house all day today. No Black Friday shopping for me, thank you, not even online. Watched some football, some old movies, played some Solitaire, ate some leftover turkey … it’s been a great day so far. I have escaped the madness of Consumerism for one whole day. Or have I?

The truth is that there wasn’t really ever any chance I would go out on Black Friday to see how many bargains I could find. I am not really into shopping for shopping’s sake. So it might be an overstatement to say that I have escaped from a trap that wasn’t set for me in the first place.
No, the trap set for me is this: worrying about stuff instead of seeking God’s Kingdom. And avoiding the worry by watching football, playing Solitaire, or eating turkey doesn’t help me at all. I haven’t really escaped anything, have I? Unless I’m ready to actively seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, I am no better off than the guy who pulled a gun on another shopper or the two women who had a fist fight in the comforter aisle at Walmart earlier today.

One trap or another, it really doesn’t matter. Which trap has your name written on it? How are you avoiding the Kingdom of God?

And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.  But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (Matthew 6:28-34, ESV)