Thanks to my friends at Ask God Today Ministries for letting me share my heart today! Head over there for the rest of this post…you’ll be encouraged!
A few years ago, my brother gifted our parents with the painting “Freedom From Want” by Norman Rockwell. It depicts a family sitting down to Thanksgiving dinner: Dad stands as Mom presents the perfectly golden turkey; brothers and sisters laugh; aunts and uncles chatter across the table while one family member glances back toward the viewer contentedly.
“Freedom From Want” hangs on our wall now, reminding us we truly have no real wants.
But I find it interesting, ironic perhaps, and a little sickening at how quickly we forget our true freedom from want. Sometimes I wonder if we are not entirely free from it but in bondage to it.
The Want Paradox
I’m not a fan of Black Friday, and I won’t rant for too long here, but I can’t help but notice the juxtaposition of Thanksgiving with Black Friday. I don’t think it’s a coincidence the day after we’ve committed to thankfulness for all we have, we go out to get more stuff. And we want these things so much we are willing to literally walk on top of another human being to get it. Seriously. People have been trampled in Black Friday crowds because we just have to have that one thing that we probably already have two of.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not entirely against Black Friday; I know there are some amazing deals out there, and I know a lot of people do most, if not all, of their Christmas shopping this one day of the year. I get it, I do. I love deals just as much as the next girl. But I wonder if, while we are actually free from want as in there’s nothing we really are in want of, we are in bondage to the greedy kind of want?…
Emily Gehman | Storytelling Coach 
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