“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 © 2017 by
Sheryle Cruse
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