Dec 2 – First Sunday in Advent
False Priorities -- Marley’s Ghost
Matthew 25: 31 – 46
After the Bible, my all-time favorite book is “A Christmas Carol” by Charles
Dickens. I have convinced some of your fellow worshippers to do a reader’s theater
presentation of this story next Sunday afternoon. As I was re-reading the story and
getting into my character I couldn’t help but see all of the “spiritual truths” that are
contained within this story. Dickens was not a particularly religious man, and his aim in
writing this book was not to elevate the morality of those around him. It was written
quickly, over a period of just a few weeks, to make him money because he was greatly
in debt at the time. But a common theme throughout this book and most of his works
was society’s injustice towards the poor. He had known that first hand. His father ended
up in debtor’s prison and he had been forced to go to work, for a time, in a boot black
factory where he put boot black into little cans, tied up the tins in paper and put on a
label. It was mind numbing work. Fortunately for the world, his time at this place was not
long and soon his father was able to send him back to school. This theme of being
responsible for those around you is also the message, in part, of Jesus ministry so I
decided that during this December we would journey through “A Christmas Carol” and
see what the ghosts can teach us as we strive to live fully these great words, “Beloved,
let us love one another for love is of God.”
Let me set the stage for the quote from the book I want to lift up today. We are
introduced to Scrooge, a miserly old man. It is Christmas Eve. Seven years before his
partner, Jacob Marley, had died. Through conversations with his nephew Fred, people
who are seeking funds to alleviate the needs of the poor and his dealings with his clerk,
Bob Cratchit, we come to know Scrooge as a very disagreeable “covetous old sinner.”
Upon reaching his lodging place he is startled to see the face of his old partner Jacob in
place of the door knocker. Scrooge, not being one to be easily scared, says again his
famous words, “Bah, Humbug” and climbs the stairs to his rooms. It is there that he is
haunted by Jacob Marley’s ghost. Scrooge, noticing how Jacob is fettered, finds out that
Jacob has been wandering these seven years seeing all the good he could have done
but cannot do and this has been his agony, his torment. When Scrooge complimented
Jacob on being a good man of business we have this quote:
“It is required of every man that the spirit within him walk abroad among his
fellow creatures and travel far and wide. If it does not go forth in life, it is condemned to
do so after death...to witness what it cannot share, but might have shared on earth—
and turned to happiness.” (Of course we would add women into that quote if we were
writing it today.)
Do you see how this quote matches so well with the parable that was shared this
morning? “Come, you that are blessed, for I was hungry and you gave me food… and to
those who are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire…for I was hungry and you
gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink” Both groups ask the
judge, when they had done or not done these deeds of kindness and both were told that
when you did it for the least of these, you did it for me.
The theme of both the scripture and Marley’s lament is that we, as fellow citizens
of this world have a task to do. We are called upon to care about others and do what we
can for them.
Michael Slaughter, pastor of one of our fastest growing churches in
Ginghamsburg, Ohio wrote a book a few years ago. It is titled, “Christmas Is Not Your
Birthday.” In it he reminds people of whose birthday it is and the message of care and
compassion for the least of these that this baby brought to the world. He started
challenging his congregation many years ago to give to a specific mission project the
exact same amount as they give in gifts and Christmas activities; card giving, party
hosting and such. The project is water in the Sudan. The church has given over 7
million dollars to that project. What would happen if I began to challenge you in this
way? Mike has gone so far that now to be on the leadership team at Ginghamsburg
UMC you need to sign a pledge that you are meeting or exceeding this Christmas giving
goal personally in your life.
It is so easy to go through life being concerned about our needs that we miss the
opportunities to be in ministry to others. Or we see the needs but choose not to
respond.
The more challenging part of this parable, and it is the thing Ebenezer Scrooge is
to learn, is this: How well we do in taking care of the least of these makes an impact on
our lives, the lives of others and here is the really tough one, has eternal consequences
as well.
We understand how this kind of attitude affects the lives of others. Those who
are hungry get fed. One of the things that has distressed me of late has been the
politicization of many of these basic support programs. The people who need them have
been portrayed in very unfavorable ways by some politicians as of late. Now I
understand there should be a rigorous debate over what level of support people need
and how to pay for it. But to characterize people as moochers for needing the
help…how does that sentiment gibe with the principles of our faith? This congregation
is working to make sure everyone is fed. We have our own monthly meal where all are
invited, we are involved with a collation to make sure all of our more mature residence
of Sequim have a decent meal each day and we are working to make sure that our
youth are fed next summer when school is out. Over 50% of our school kids are on free
or reduced meal programs. What happens when summer comes and school is out?
Kids are hungry.
We are called to stand with those in need and in opposition to anything that
labels them as second class. Why? Because Jesus told us to.
It is also important for our own lives. This is harder to quantify. When you see the
money going out to help another when it could be used by yourself you question, is it
really worth doing? Ebenezer Scrooge said no and it turned him, over time into a
covetous old sinner. We will learn later on how this greed causes all of his nobler
aspirations to fall away one by one. People he cares about are left behind. Being
inwardly focused does us emotional and relational harm.
I recently came across an amazing statistic. The more income we have, the less
we give, as a percentage of income, to charity. And among the wealthiest, those who
live among other wealthy people give the least of all. They have so insulated
themselves from the needs of others that they no longer see them or care. Giving to
others does something for us. It is not the reason but it is a side benefit. When I have
worked among the least and seen their smiles and heard their appreciative words I go
home uplifted. And yes, even when I have had to deal with ingratitude I still feel good
because I know they are in a better place in spite of their complaints.
This feeling is even backed up by medical data.
There’s a special feeling you get when you give someone a present. It’s a warm
feeling – you feel calm yet excited. You get the same feeling when you do a random act
of kindness for a loved one, or even a stranger. It doesn’t even have to involve money.
Offering to collect your elderly neighbour’s shopping or organizing a charity collection
has the same effect. When you do something for someone else, your brain produces
Dopamine.
And the more regularly you give, the more that happiness becomes sustainable.
The emotional benefits of giving are also seen in lower levels of depression, and higher
levels of self-esteem in the givers. It’s also good for your relationships. Kind acts bond
two people, in fact, it’s within our genetics – we are wired to appreciate kindness.
But the benefits of giving go beyond the emotional. “The act of doing something
for another person in any capacity has health benefits,” Performing acts of kindness has
been found to boost your immune system, keep your heart healthy and even slow the
ageing process.
Ultimately it has eternal consequences. This is the real ouch, isn’t it? It is the
message of the Christmas Carol story, it is the thrust of the parable that Jesus shared.
We don’t want to hear this. It makes us too uncomfortable. But if Advent is a season of
preparation perhaps we need to again listen to the words of the one we follow and see
how we can change our lives.