Experiencing Black Friday at a mall in Charlotte, NC might make you think the country is swimming in prosperity. Crowds? Don’t separate from those you are shopping with – you may lose them in the sea of people. They weren’t just browsing -- there were lines at registers, restaurants, the food court.
There were people waiting to get their teeth whitened for $129 – a “Black Friday” special. If you wanted to look at jewelry at Tiffany’s you had to wait – groups of customers were in serious talk with sales people. At the Apple Store you had to wait to enter. There were $60,000 Land Rovers on display in the mall.
Having seen this I’m convinced that while many are suffering in this economy many are not – a perfect opportunity, as Barack Obama said last fall, to “spread the wealth around.”
In that spirit, below are the links to the donation pages of several area organizations whose mission it is to help the less fortunate. The plastic is already warmed up, just use it again. If you are reading this and have been shopping today, you can afford to make another purchase. But this one will be tax-deductible, at least until the current administration decides to mess with it to raise more money for its own programs.
Whatever else you were going to buy, you don’t need it. Take this advice from one of the wisest people who ever lived – King Solomon. Here is what he said, after accumulating just about any riches, pleasures, or wisdom any human could hope for:
“I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired men and women singers, and a harem as well—the delights of the heart of man. I became greater by far than anyone in Jerusalem before me. In all this my wisdom stayed with me.
"I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labor.
"Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun."
Ecclesiastes 2:1-11
Habitat for Humanity of Wake County
Food Bank of Central and
A list of other charities in central North Carolina
Comments
Excellent points. It does seem that there are tons of people in dire straits -- and tons more feeling no pain. Strange. But the food banks are having a hard time keeping up with the need. If you are one who is blessed, do find it in your heart to help others who are less well off.
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