“Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in
the power of thine hand to do it.
Say not unto thy neighbor, Go, and come again, and tomorrow I will give; when
thou hast it by thee.”
Proverbs 3:27-28
One of my
favorite Christmas stories is, of course, “A Christmas Carol” by Charles
Dickens. I think I’ve seen most film versions of the piece. This time of year,
the cautionary tale is shown often on televisions, hopefully, giving us all a
refresher course in decency and concern for our fellow man.
And it all gets started with Ebenezer
Scrooge’s dead friend, Jacob Marley.
He gets the reality check off to an
unsettling start, when, as a ghost, he warns Scrooge of his own selfish
mistakes which have cost him dearly for eternity…
“‘At this time of the rolling year,' the
spectre said ‘I suffer most. Why did I walk through crowds of fellow-beings
with my eyes turned down, and never
raise them to that blessed Star which led the Wise
Men to a poor abode! Were there no poor homes to
which its light would have conducted me!'
Scrooge was very much dismayed to hear the
spectre going on at this rate, and began to quake
exceedingly.
`Hear me!' cried the Ghost. `My time is nearly
gone.’”
raise them to that blessed Star which led the Wise
Men to a poor abode! Were there no poor homes to
which its light would have conducted me!'
Scrooge was very much dismayed to hear the
spectre going on at this rate, and began to quake
exceedingly.
`Hear me!' cried the Ghost. `My time is nearly
gone.’”
“‘At
this time of the rolling year…'”
I love that phrase. It reminds us all about the certainty of
time passing. Most of us need that reminder, as, so often, we get caught up in
the busyness of our lives, neglecting to stop and take note of present
opportunities to do good deeds.
We may have 1001 excuses for not getting/staying connected,
helping others or working on our relationship with God Himself. Nevertheless,
each of us are equipped with the ability to do those things.
“Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, This is the
way, walk in it, whenever you turn to the right hand, and whenever turn to the
left.’”
Isaiah 30:21
“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go:
I will guide you with My eye.”
Psalm 32:8
It’s not about trotting out or imperfection as an excuse; God
already knows that reality, anyway.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Romans 3:23
It is, rather, about making the decision to love and commit to
what we CAN do, not what we can’t do. And yes, we all can do something.
“Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in
the power of thine hand to do it.
Say not unto thy neighbor, Go, and come again, and tomorrow I will give; when
thou hast it by thee.”
Proverbs 3:27-28
So, while we’re each doing our own individual self-reflection,
let’s also examine what we can do for
others, how we can connect and reflect God’s loving inclusion, not exclusion.
As this year now rolls by, what will we do to show all of humanity is, indeed,
going from glory to glory?
“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the
glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to
glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
2 Corinthians 3:18
Copyright © 2015 by
Sheryle Cruse
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