For many, the week of Thanksgiving is one of the most dreaded weeks of the year, especially for those in the retail industry. Black Friday has become known as the craziest day for shopping affecting both customers and employees. Although it is one of if not the most intense shopping day of the year, I believe it can also hold significant opportunities for us to show others about Jesus. That’s why I believe this Black Friday we need to be like Wheeless, Oklahoma.
“Wheeless, Oklahoma. Where on earth is that?” You might ask. If you don’t know where that is, it’s actually one of the furthest western communities in the Oklahoma Panhandle. There isn’t much there at all. In fact, my wife and I drove through there this past summer on a road trip to Black Mesa. Our GPS was taking us a different way home and from a distance you could see a small white church building in the horizon and that was it.
As we arrived to town the building we could see from a distance happened to be the old Wheeless Baptist Church. It was the very first thing we saw as we came to town. It stood out amongst the town. Now, you might be sitting there thinking, “What does this small little church in the Panhandle have to do with Black Friday?”
Well, it’s quite simple actually. When people see me, I want them to see a church. A church that stands out for God. A church that can be seen from a distance as well as up close. A church that tries to honor God even though it often fails. A church that desperately desires God. I fail so often at this and am praying for God’s strength.
As followers of Christ we are the hands and feet of Christ and how we represent Him on this earth matters. WE ARE THE CHURCH. This Black Friday we will cross paths with lots of people. Who will they see when they cross paths with you? Will they see you or will they see Jesus? Will they see a greedy customer or a gracious Christ Follower? Will we live to honor God in the shopping aisle just as much as we aim to honor him in the church pew on Sunday morning?
If you haven’t ever been to the Oklahoma Panhandle I highly recommend the trip as it is a fascinating place. But even if you never make it out, know that we as followers of Christ have something in common with the small town of Wheeless, Oklahoma. And that is the need for us to know Christ and to make Him fully known.
When people see you, what is the first thing they think of? My prayer is that others will see Christ. We do that by displaying Christlike behavior, reactions, words, and actions to everyone. None of us are perfect, but this Black Friday we can point others to our perfect God. So this week, let’s be like Wheeless, Oklahoma, and most of all, let us be like Jesus to all. #Godhelpme #BlackFriday #Thanksgiving #Wheeless #Panhandle #Oklahoma
“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in Christ’s triumphal procession and through us spreads the aroma of the knowledge of him in every place.” -2 Corinthians 2:14 (CSB)
Brandon Baumgarten 