Charles Dickens’ character of Scrooge puts a little fear and trembling into our hearts. After all, like it or not we have our own Scrooge moments. We may not always feel generous when we’re asked to give one more donation to a good cause at the holiday season. Our personal Scrooge might say, “There must be good organizations to handle those things.” Those people who insist on being positive no matter what else is going on in their lives, might just rub us the wrong way. I mean, when do they face reality? Scrooge’s nephew Fred can’t be happy all the time. Can he? Of course, The Christmas Carol, put Scrooge into some scary moments as the ghosts of Christmases past, present, and future came to remind him of important matters.
Personally, I love this Dickens’ story, because it’s such a great reminder that we each can change our Scrooginess! We can give more than we imagine. No matter what happened in childhood, God has been molding and shaping our lives, giving us friends like Fezziwig who accept us just as we are. He’s gifted us with love even when we didn’t feel lovable. Certainly, our hearts are softened toward the sour face of Scrooge, when we witness his loneliness and his sense of abandonment as a child. Somewhere along the way, he lost track of love and family and all that it means. Christmas can bring out sad memories for some of us too, but do we have to stay there? Do we need a ghostly visitor to get us over the hurdle of our own distress? Ultimately, the message comes through loud and clear for Scrooge. He realizes that there is still hope, still light, and there are still people who care about one another. Even Scrooge can shine his light with a heart that is willing to give to others.
Christmas brings the gifts of hope and possibility. It brings the Spirit of all that is good, and that Spirit invites each of us to come and share the blessings of God. We are not alone. We are not expected to do all the good things by ourselves. We are simply meant to love and live in as generous a way as we can. We are meant to be a blessing to one another so that we can shout along with Tiny Tim, “God bless us, everyone!”
So remove your nightcap, and open your eyes and your heart, to a joyful celebration of all that God has done. Leave those “Bah-humbug” moments far behind you.
You’ll help make the whole world merrier!
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