A CHRISTMAS CAROL

‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens, captures the spirit of Christmas expressed in these words of Christ, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”  [ Acts 20:35 ]  Dickens brilliantly personifies the opposite to these words in Ebenezer Scrooge whom he describes as, “A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous sinner!  The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, made his lips blue, and he didn’t thaw in one degree at Christmas!”  He called it ‘Humbug’.

Dickens classic story describes the visitation of the ghost of Jacob Marley, Scrooge’s late partner.  Marley appears wound about with a chain made of cash boxes, keys, padlocks, ledgers and heavy purses.  “You are fettered,” said Scrooge trembling, “Tell me why?”  The ghost replied, “I wear the chain I forged in life and I’m here to warn you that you have yet a chance of escaping my fate.  You will be haunted by three spirits.” 

First came the Ghost of Christmas Past who took Scrooge back to the forgotten joys of a childhood Christmas.  The second was the Ghost of Christmas Present who took him to the poor but happy home of his underpaid clerk, Bob Cratchit who had a crippled son called Tiny Tim.  The third was the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.  He took Scrooge to a churchyard overgrown with weeds and pointed to a neglected grave bearing the name ‘Ebenezer Scrooge’.

These visions transformed Scrooge!  He sent a large turkey to Bob Cratchit’s home and doubled his salary!  Scrooge said, “I am as light as a feather, as happy as an angel, as merry as a school boy.  A merry Christmas to everybody.”

Christmas is no humbug, meaning a hoax.  It’s real history!  Dr. Luke was an accurate historian.  Why not read chapter 2 of his gospel in the Bible this Christmas?