This time of year is supposed to be celebrated by thanksgiving, joy, celebration, a time of sharing, but the images we typically see are like the one above of the ruthlessness of people striving to get the best deals before someone else does. Part of me shakes my head at this, but part of me thinks we as Christians can learn from them.

They have something many of us lack. They have a war time mindset. They go into stores with the understanding that if they don't take advantage of the opportunity that someone else will. It is me against them. I will do whatever it takes to accomplish the goal.

We don't have that sort of will, passion, or desire for the lost. We don't have the mindset that it is us against evil. We don't understand that if we are not drawing them to Christ someone is drawing them away. The harvest is ripe for the taking are we reaping or are we sitting idly by as the world around us rots?

In war one does not concern themselves with luxuries such as fine dinning, material things like clothes cars, or public popularity. Only two things come to mind in war: survive and accomplish the goal. Is that our focus or is it be comfortable? 

I challenge you to look hard at your own life, does it resemble that of one at war with spiritual being for eternal souls? Pray for a wartime mindset. Be ruthless in winning souls from the grasp of hell.