A CHRISTMAS CAROL

This holiday season, I was blessed to be able to attend a musical production of A Christmas Carol performed by junior and senior high school students. School musicals are always enjoyable to watch, and I am in awe of the students’ abilities to perform so wonderfully at such a young age. It is not a gift that I have ever possessed. It was fitting that a sermon I heard also mentioned A Christmas Carol that same weekend, which inspired this reflection. It allowed me to see deeper meanings and connections with the story and the reason for the season, Jesus.

 

Scrooge not being kind or merciful

 

I’m sure you recall that the main idea of the story is how Ebenezer Scrooge goes from a sad, lonely, miserly man to a happy, friendly, generous man who loves others. As Scrooge is visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, he realizes the error of his ways and wants to live differently.

If we think about it, doesn’t it seem that Scrooge came to his senses and discovered the validity of this Scripture and quote, which we can also apply to our lives?

 

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”  –Luke 6:37-38  (NIV)

When Scrooge sees his life past, present, and future pass before his eyes, he realizes he was not a kind, loving, or merciful person. I believe Scrooge began his life anew, living this Scripture out. He stopped judging, condemning, being selfish, and not caring about others because he saw how it made everyone, him included, miserable. With Scrooge’s desire to become loving, generous, and kind to others, he knew that would come into his life too.

 

The reformed Scrooge, full of love, surrounded by the Ghosts of Christmas

 

“True happiness is found in unselfish Love,

A love which increases in proportion as it is shared.”

–Thomas Merton

What a beautiful quote, in my humble opinion, that shows the link between love and happiness. We know God is love, right? I believe unselfish Love = God.

I would then rewrite the quote, saying,

“True happiness is found in God, in unselfish Love,

A love which increases in proportion as it is shared.”

 

Instantly, Scrooge found true happiness in living a life of sharing God and unselfish Love with everyone he met. He was sowing seeds of goodness, generosity, kindness, love, and joy as he put others and their needs first in his life.

Isn’t the same true for our lives?

We have true happiness, which turns to joy, when we are grounded in God’s unselfish Love. The more we share that love with others, the more we receive ourselves.  It is our ability to love that makes us happy. Love freely given brings more happiness.

 

Photo courtesy of BK under Creative Commons License (CC BY-SA 2.0)

 

Be encouraged this week to…

 

…pay attention to God’s unselfish Love in your world.

…show mercy to others and see it reflected more in your life.

…sow seeds of unselfish Love so you will experience true happiness and joy.

…see how the love you share keeps multiplying back to you.

We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.  –1 John 4:16  (NLT)

*Note: I will take a break for three weeks to focus more on preparing for the birth of Jesus as well as sharing quality family time. I wish you all a blessed and the happiest of holidays! Feel free to stop by and read an archive at any time.