One of my favorite books I read while in school was “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens. Although as a pastor, I would have to say it probably isn’t good source material to cite in a Theological Discussion (with “ghosts” visiting, etc.), but I have to admit the book gives a rather sobering view of what’s really important in life – especially around the time of the Holidays.
In Dickens’ book, the main character is a very sour man by the name of Ebenezer Scrooge. Though wealthy, Scrooge is a stingy, greedy, and hateful old man. On a selfish scale of 1 to 10, Ebenezer most certainly cranks his self-centeredness up to 11!
Throughout the novel you see the depths in which Mr. Scrooge is willing to plunge to save a penny – even keeping his faithful bookkeeper shivering in the next office because he didn’t want to purchase coals to place in the fire. From telling various charities to get lost when they came calling on him for help to never wishing anyone a Merry Christmas, the old miser was someone you didn’t want to cross paths with that’s for sure.
As most of you already know, through the ordained appointments of three mysterious visitors, Scrooge was given the ability to see many things his selfish eyes had never opened large enough to view. The final straw which brought about his “awakening” to a new, kinder demeanor was the opportunity to see his own funeral.
Because of the attention-grabbing nature of Scrooge’s visitors, he was able to turn over a new leaf immediately. Ebenezer died a pleasant and generous old man, bent on righting the wrongs he had caused by decades of gratuitous greed.
Our Heavenly Father expects Christians to live on a higher plane than good ole’ Ebenezer did for most of his life. Whether it’s Christmas time or any other day of the year, the characteristics displayed by Mr. Scrooge should never be named among us as Christ-followers.
If you are someone who struggles with being a grumpy, greedy, and ungrateful person – God has one piece of advice for you: look around and see all the beautiful gifts He has showered you with today. We have plenty of reasons to be grateful every day, but most certainly we can thank God for the loads of blessings we have during the Christmas season.
The more time God grants me down here, the more I realize some of the greatest gifts we can ever receive have absolutely nothing to do with material things. I’ll admit – when I was younger Christmas was entirely about what I could get. In many ways, our children view Christmas this way. “I can’t wait to see what I’m getting this year Daddy!” they often say.
The Bible tells us God gives “good and perfect gifts” (James 1:17). Let’s take a second and view our presents in the room…
How is your health today? When was the last time we thanked our Heavenly Father for our health? Notice I didn’t even say for our “good” health… God commands us to be grateful also if our health is less than ideal because it could always be worse.
I believe one of the reasons Christians may be grouchy this holiday season is because they think life has dealt them a lousy hand concerning their health, and it’s just not fair. While I’ll admit it is tough to accept limitations, why not still thank God for what you do have? Truth be told there are scores of people lying in a hospital bed today who would be forever grateful to take your place in an instant.
If that’s not sobering enough, drive on over to the cemetery. Get out and look at the gravestones of those whose health did not endure to Christmas 2018. Aren’t we blessed to be able to look our loved ones in the eye today? Hasn’t our Heavenly Father been good to us – allowing us to tell those in our families that we love them yet once more?
I tell you – – waking up each morning is a privilege, not a right. It’s a gift that our loving Lord grants to us day by day. How can we get angry at our children for being ungrateful for the candy in their stockings when we neglect to thank our Heavenly Father for putting two feet in ours?
Have we thanked God for our families recently? “Aw, Pastor Jason don’t get me started on my family!”you might quip, but have you? I shared a chapel message with the kids at Pathway Academy a few weeks ago, and I said something that floored them. I told them if they have one person who genuinely cares about them and loves them, they are better off than scores of children all over the world.
My wife and I had problems starting a family after marriage. We had it all planned out! We were to enjoy a couple of years together after marrying and then start our family maybe around year three. One miscarriage later and five years after our wedding we were showing no signs of being able to conceive.
How grateful we were when God stepped in and performed a miracle! Almost exactly six years to the day after our wedding, we were holding newborn twin boys in our hands. Now we have four children (three boys and our youngest, a little girl – pray for us!),and I can honestly tell you there’s not a better gift I’ve ever received than to be able to see those little rascals running around and bringing so much joy (and craziness)into the Sherman household.
When we gather at the foot of our extremely decorated tree each year to open Christmas presents, you can’t convince me otherwise – the most magnificent presents are right there sitting beside me. Aside from my salvation and my lovely wife, these children are the greatest gifts I have ever received, hands down.
And that brings me to my final question: Have we taken the time also to appreciate our salvation? How can you and I not see that as Christians, we are already in possession of the greatest gift ever given?
We go to Christmas events, parties, special church services and activities, cantatas, living manger scenes, hanging of the greens, and the list goes on… yet the One all these things focus on is INSIDE our hearts and the SPLENDOR of that truth escapes us. How?
It’s time for a heavy dose of good, old-fashioned truth here: Satan has tried to pack the holidays with so much stuff getting us extremely busy with the comings and goings that we don’t have time to reflect on just how wonderfully blessed we are by God.
It is quite ironic that the One whom Christmas was intended to focus on is precisely the One everyone ignores because… Christmas!
Dear Jesus, please save us from the trappings of this season that take glory and attention away from You. We want the focus to be on You, Lord, and the blessings You have so richly bestowed upon us.
Help us to prioritize Christmas according to Your will. Give us the discernment and discipline to eliminate anything that draws us away from worshipping You and showing genuine appreciation for our blessings.
God forgive us for being grumpy in exactly the season we should be elated and filled with joy. When You left Heaven’s halls and Your throne to come down here arriving as a virgin-born baby, it was indeed the most special moment Earth had ever experienced.
May our conversations and demeanor be reflective of exactly how personal that reality is to us! And Lord, if possible, help us this Christmas to see all the other presents in the room. Oh, and maybe we can be thankful for the ones that come in boxes and wrapping paper, too!
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Merry Christmas everyone! With love from Pathway Ministries.
Rev. Sherman serves as an Administrative Assistant at Christian Bible College. He and his wife Amber have four children.