'Tis the Season for watching Christmas movies! We watch a variety of Christmas movies: White Christmas, Elf, It's a Wonderful Life, Rudolf the Red Nosed Reindeer, and recently, we watched The Muppets–Christmas Carol.
This was the first time I watched The Muppets version of Christmas Carol. I loved this version–but then I have loved almost every version of this story that I have ever watched.
I love a good transformation story. Scrooge is a classic. Scrooge–a miserly man, hanging onto money as though that will save him–not even spending it on himself, and his own comfort.
I've known people who lived through the Great Depression. People who have experienced deprivation can be traumatized by that experience and so they treat money and possessions and food differently. For instance, I grew up in the generation where children had to eat everything on their plates whether they were hungry or not, as food was not to be wasted. Fear was a motivating factor in this type of decision making.
I think Scrooge was motivated by fear and a lack of love in his life. So when love came to him, he didn't really trust it. He was afraid, and he believed the lie that money would save him. So he pursued money and not his love. Then his love walked away from him—-only increasing his belief that money was all he could count on.
It took looking at his past, his present and seeing his possible future for him to see the lies he was believing, and for him to choose to believe the truth–which is that he is an eternal soul–– and only God could save him.
As Scrooge lets go of his lies, and clings to the truth, he changes from a miserly man to a generous, loving man who keeps Christmas in his heart all year long!!
I mean how can you not love this story!!! What hope it brings to all of us that change can happen as we look at what lies we are believing, repent of them, and turn to the truth. The truth can set us free!!
We almost had a tragedy in our family. From this time the Lord showed me the lies I was believing and acting upon, that may have contributed to this almost tragedy.
The Lord directed me to go to the ones I had hurt, confess and ask for their forgiveness. Then He reminded me of how He took my sins and died for them. I was to leave my shame and remorse with Him. I was free in Him.
In the story of Scrooge—divine intervention was needed for him to truly see his life and choose to change.
When Jesus came into this world over 2,000 years ago—God was entering into all our stories to do some drastic intervention–to change the end of our stories. This is what we are celebrating this Christmas and every Christmas— God is with us, (Immanuel). Our Lord is for us and has mercy upon us, Our Father forgives and loves each one of us, so very, very much.
Merry Christmas Everyone!!
May We Be Encouraged!!
No comments:
Post a Comment