Dickens' Revisited

A few years ago I had the opportunity to hear a very unique retelling of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. It was a performance done by one individual who recounted the story by memory while acting out all the parts by himself. Now I have seen many, many versions of this story over the years and even read the book itself a few Christmases ago. It was not until this retelling of the story that I became aware of a very important truth communicated by this great piece of literature.

As Marley’s ghost is explaining to Scrooge all that he has to look forward to from the coming Spirits of Christmas he has Scrooge look out his window into the night sky. Scrooge sees countless phantoms flying through the air looking down upon poor wretched souls who are still among the living, but whose lives are anything but livable. In the story it is the phantoms that are crying because they so desire to help those living in great need but are unable to do so. “They sought to interfere, for good, in human matters, and had lost the power for ever.”

I was so struck by this picture, by this image of two very different types of souls. One alive, if you can call their predicament living, and the other dead – free of earthly pain and woe, but stricken by the fact that they could not relieve the pain of the living. In life these phantoms were people of means and influence. They, like Scrooge, had held the ability to soothe the pain of their fellow human beings but had chosen not to interfere. Instead of lifting a hand to offer help they had assumed that the established prisons, workhouses, etc, would offer care for these poor wretches in need. It was not until they died and were truly faced with the ramification of their actions that they realized by ignoring the plight of the poor and needy around them they not only hurt those people but themselves as well. They too were people in need, in need of acting out in goodwill for their fellow humans. By doing nothing they were depriving their own souls of the satisfaction and the peace that comes from serving our fellow human beings.

I cannot help but think that many among us are destined for a similar fate as we turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to those in need around us. A day does not go by when we are not presented with some opportunity to help someone in need. Can we help them all? Of course not, but this does not give us an excuse not to help anyone.

There will come a day when everyone in the church hopes to, and dare I say expects to, hear God say to them, “Well done good and faithful servant.” But are we sure that is all He will say? Perhaps He will ask us: Why is it when you saw me thirsty that you did not give me a drink? Why is it that when you saw me hungry or without clothes you did not feed me or give me your coat? How will we answer these questions? A little white lie and a feeble excuse will not pull the wool over the eyes of an all-knowing God. No excuse for not lending a helping hand will satisfy a God who constantly taught and demonstrated his love for the poor, the widow, the orphan, and the alien throughout the Scriptures.

So what is the moral of this tale? Lend a hand to your fellow human beings on this earth while you can. Do not wait till tomorrow. Do not assume it is the responsibility of some other individual or institution. It is your responsibility. It is my responsibility. Think for a moment, how many times have you turned a blind eye – that is a link in your chain. How many times have you turned a deaf ear – another link. Perhaps we all need a little haunting from the phantoms now and again to help us remember what is truly important in life. Take a moment this Christmas season and see if you have a few too many links in your chain. There is still time. These are the shadows of the things that may be, not necessary the shadows of the things that will be. If a man’s course of life changes his end can change as well.