A CHRISTMAS

CAROL

Lazarus died. The angels took him and placed him in the arms of Abraham. The rich
man also died and was buried. He was sent to the place of death and was in great
pain. He saw Abraham far away with Lazarus in his arms. He called, Father
Abraham, have mercy on me! Send Lazarus to me so that he can dip his finger in
water and cool my tongue. I am suffering in this fire! But Abraham said, My child,
remember when you lived? You had all the good things in life. But Lazarus had
nothing but problems. Now he is comforted here, and you are suffering. Luke 16:
22-25 (ERV)

A classic movie that plays every year around Christmas is A Christmas Carol. The
story tells of a crotchety old man named Scrooge. With his terrible disposition, he
gets an attitude wake-up call three times on Christmas Eve. He is visited by three
spirits, the ghost of Christmas past, present and future. Mid way through the movie
there is a scene that gives me cogitation. Scrooge is being visited by the ghost of
Christmas present. At the end of Scrooges lesson, the spirit opens his big cloak to
reveal two pitiful scrawny children. Their names are Want and Ignorance.

Why would this jovial spirit, who seems full of good will and cheer, be harboring
these detestable looking children? And what exactly is the lesson to be learned?
The story eludes that the spirit is showing those in need whom Scrooge neglects. In
my opinion however, I believe the spirit was showing the very attributes of Scrooge
himself. Scrooge was selfish, bad spirited and miserly but he was living in his state
of deep sleep (REM). He did not even think of his actions. His irredeemable
philosophy of life was so well embedded within himself that he not only displayed
but became his very own code of subsistence. Scrooge was in want but was
ignorant of that fact. He was wasting away in his misery. He may have been rich
monetarily but he was poor spiritually. Scrooge, himself, had become Want and
Ignorance. Had he not changed his fate was death.
We are all like Scrooge in many ways. We become so desensitized by our way of
thinking that eventually our attitudes become our very nature. We cant see
ourselves the way God sees us. We think we are perfect when in fact we are pitiful,
sickly and skinny. God knows our want and ignorance yet sees such potential for
magnificence. He loves us so dearly. He is waiting with his cloak open wide and
Inside He provides a place of protection and blessings. We should run, not walk, into
the soft, warm folds of His embrace. It is there that He will be ours and we will be
His, forever.
Dear Savior,
Thank you for loving us in our want and ignorance. Help us to become magnificent
through you. We come into your cloak of love.
Amen