Taming The Scrooge
Charles Dickens’s iconic character Ebeneezer Scrooge is a perfect example of someone who started life well but grew selfish and cynical when he got older. Scrooge’s love for money and insistence on gaining wealth at the expense of the poor blinded his ability to see value in relationships and the joy life has to offer. Ebeneezer’s choice to be stingy cost him dearly in every area of his life.
How do you respond to people who are bitter and hard to love? To be honest, I wrestle with bitterness from time to time. On bad days, I fall prey to anger and self-pity over unresolved hurts in my past. When I notice myself wanting to lash out at others, I know it is time to tame my inner Scrooge. Not that I am cheap like old Ebeneezer, but I do get testy from time to time.
Scrooge needed to acknowledge the sins of his past.
Make amends for the sake of others in the present,
and let love and mercy cleanse his heart and navigate his future.
Is there something in your past that keeps you tied to old slights you have yet to forgive?
How wonderful it is when we look beyond our pain to share our stories in ways that help others. Ebeneezer Scrooge found redemption when he let go of greed and set his sights on what was important in life. What do you consider valuable in your life these days? Ebeneezer Scrooge overcame when he discovered the riches he so long revered were nothing compared to the treasure he found in sharing with those in need. Will you help someone in need this holiday season?
“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” -Jim Elliott-