Part 2 of A Christmas Carol didn't have as much for me to chew on, but there are still definitely a few things worth thinking about. So, this post may be shorter, but that's surely not a bad thing.
In Part 2, Scrooge is visited by the spirit of Christmas past. He takes him to different times in his past. As he sees these various shadows, he's at times filled with great joy at the happiness and kindness of people. At other times, he is brought to tears. Some things cause him to wish he had done things differently the day before. Eventually, he is so overtaken with grief that he begs the Spirit to show him no more.
This brought an interesting thought to me. When I look back on my life, well, at times, I would just rather not. My past has not always been so peachy and I'm not proud of some of the things there. But today will be the past tomorrow. How am I living now? Am I creating a past that I will one day look back on and be able to laugh and smile? If I haven't so far, it's never too late to start.
There were a few portions that particularly stuck out to me:
"He has the power to rend us happy or unhappy; to make our service light or burdensome; a pleasure or a toil. Say that his power lies in words and looks; in things so slight and insignificant that it is impossible to add and count 'em up: what then? The happiness he gives, is quite as great as if it cost a fortune."
I think people often forget that they have real power and influence, even just in the little things. We have the power to make people happy or sorrowful; make their work easy or hard; give them pleasure or pain. The truth is, we have this power, and the way we use it is up to us.
"I have seen your nobler aspirations fall off one by one, until the master-passion, Gain, engrosses you. Have I not?"
Do we possess noble aspirations? Are we putting noble passions into action, or do we allow them to fall away and be taken over a selfish, worldly passion? I think it's really important that our lives are driven by godly passion and we don't let anything to creep in and take over our noble aspirations.
In Christ,
Margaret
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