Every year, the Monday after Thanksgiving rolls around with flashing deals and countdown clocks, all trying to get us to click “Buy Now.” In 2024, U.S. shoppers spent a jaw-dropping $13.3 billion in just 24 hours, making it the biggest online shopping day in history.
But if we pause for a moment and step back from the shopping carts and shipping confirmations, there’s a deeper question we should be asking: What does Cyber Monday say about us, our hearts, our priorities, and even our spiritual health?
For Christians, Cyber Monday isn’t just a consumer moment; it’s a cultural mirror. It’s an opportunity to reflect on how urgency, value, and scarcity impact our behavior, especially when it comes to giving.
Why We’re Drawn to the Urgency of a Deal
It’s no accident that online deals are loaded with phrases like “Only 2 left!” or “Offer ends at midnight!” Marketing teams have studied human psychology, and they know we’re more likely to act fast when something feels scarce or time-limited. That emotional spike? It’s real. It feels like, if we don’t act now, we’re going to miss out. And that “Buy Now” click gives us a quick hit of satisfaction even if we weren’t planning to buy that thing in the first place.
However, that sense of urgency doesn’t just appear in shopping. It can also shape how we give. We might feel moved to give when there’s a crisis or campaign, but what about the rest of the time? If we’re honest, sometimes generosity gets left behind in the digital dust of our daily distractions.
What’s Driving Our Decisions?
Impulse buying isn’t a sin. But it does raise a spiritual question: are we letting our emotions or our faith drive our choices?
That pressure to keep up, grab the deal, or not miss out often points to something deeper: a longing for meaning, a desire to feel secure, or maybe even a subtle fear of not having enough. And none of those things are unique to shopping. They’re the same struggles that show up in our giving, or lack thereof.
What the Bible Says About Scarcity and Generosity
Scripture flips the script on urgency. God doesn’t ask us to give under pressure or because it’s a “limited time offer.” He invites us to give with joy, on purpose, and from a heart that’s been changed by grace.
Remember what Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 9:7?
“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
Or how about Jesus’ words in Matthew 6?
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.”
And Proverbs 19:17 reminds us that “whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward them for what they have done.”
God’s economy doesn’t run on flash sales. It runs on faithful stewardship. The kind of giving that doesn’t need a countdown clock to feel meaningful.
Spending vs. Giving
To truly grasp the difference in cultural priorities, let’s examine how we spend and give during this season.
In 2024, Cyber Monday pulled in a record-breaking $13.3 billion. The very next day, on Giving Tuesday, Americans gave around $3.6 billion to charities and causes. Meanwhile, regular weekly giving across churches in the U.S. adds up to an estimated $2.3 billion.
Let that sink in. In a single day of online shopping, we spent more than three times what we gave to churches all week.
Clearly, the culture celebrates buying. But the Church? We’re called to celebrate giving.
From “Buy Now” to “Give Now”
If you really think about it, Cyber Monday is a form of secular worship. It appeals to our craving for reward, urgency, and the feeling of scoring something valuable.
But what if we redirected that energy toward Kingdom generosity? What if instead of reacting to scarcity, we responded to grace?
Generosity doesn’t have to be a flash-in-the-pan reaction. It can be a lifestyle. A habit. A joy. Not because a sale is ending, but because the Savior has come.
Preaching Generosity in a Digital Age
Pastors, what if you use Cyber Monday as a sermon hook? Talk about the billions spent in one day, and then ask, “What does that tell us about where our treasure is?”
Then open Scripture. Compare the temporary rush of a deal with the eternal rewards of obedience. Share verses like Hebrews 13:16:
“Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”
Help your congregation connect the dots between digital tools and spiritual growth. Encourage them to use their phones for more than just shopping and doomscrolling. What if they set up recurring giving? What if they created a monthly calendar reminder to review their generosity?
That’s the kind of discipleship that forms habits, not just reactions.
Simple Ways to Practice Digital Generosity
You don’t need a theology degree to start living generously. Here are a few simple ideas to shift your digital life toward more intentional giving.
Start by setting up a recurring donation. Online giving tools, such as Tithely, Givelify, and Donorbox, enable donors to schedule their giving in advance, rather than waiting for a fundraiser or emotional appeal. You can plan your giving like you plan your bills. That consistency honors God and builds spiritual discipline.
Create your own “Flash Generosity Day.” Pick a day each quarter where you sit down, review your giving, pray about where else you might sow, and adjust your donations accordingly.
My family has a line item in our budget called the “God Fund,” and we often use Zelle, Cash App, or Venmo to bless others as God leads.
Giving Like It’s a Way of Life
One of the biggest traps of digital giving is that it can start to feel transactional. It can develop into something we do only when there’s a big ask or a campaign that pulls our emotions. However, Scripture paints a different picture: one of consistent, joyful giving that flows from who we are, not just what we feel in the moment.
Paul says in 1 Corinthians 16:2,
“On the first day of every week, each one of you is to put something aside and store it up…”
Giving becomes a rhythm, not a reaction. A discipline, not a deal.
So maybe this season, instead of asking “What do I want to buy?” start asking, “How do I want to give?” What would it look like to budget for generosity the same way we budget for groceries or gifts?
A Gospel Reminder in the Age of Deals
We live in a world full of countdowns, flash sales, and an overwhelming sense of urgency. But the message of the Gospel isn’t rushed. It’s not based on scarcity or limited-time access.
It’s based on love. On abundance. On eternity.
God gave. Freely. Generously. Completely.
“For God so loved the world that He gave…” (John 3:16)
This Cyber Monday, let’s shift our focus from buying what fades to giving what matters out of gratitude for the One who gave everything.