— Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol
“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His Name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince Of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his Kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with Judgment and with Justice from henceforth even forever.”
— Isaiah 9:6-7
Ever since the first time I watched The Muppet Christmas Carol, I have loved the story of Scrooge. It’s a popular Christmas tale for both its eloquent words and its beautiful story.
In fact, I’d take this story over the story of Santa Claus. What? I know, a terrible thought to have.
I love the story of St. Nicholas and feel it has much value, but if I wanted my son to understand the story of Christmas, A Christmas Carol and the nativity would win, hands down.
I chose the King James version of scripture because, as in A Christmas Carol, the eloquence can’t be beat. Let’s consider the two stories and how we might present them to our children.
Gifts and Christmas trees, cookies and carollers all bring happy moments and Christmas memories, but let’s not get lost in twinkling lights.
Instead, let’s get lost in the story of the sweet baby, born long ago in a most humble setting, talked about long before he was born and long after he completed his mission.
Looking up at the stars on Christmas Eve might be a perfect time to unfold the story of the men who followed a star across many miles to pay homage to the boy they knew to be their king.
These men knew to bring treasures as an offering to this small child: gold, frankincense and myrrh. Presents fit for a king. Not a king as we understand it, but a king who ruled with humility, peace, love and service.
This boy grew to be a man that, after performing many miracles, died to save humankind from sin.
Scrooge is a covetous old sinner. He is the opposite of Jesus in every way. Jesus reached out to those less fortunate; Scrooge took from them. Jesus showed grace; Scrooge showed intolerance.
Jesus sought justice; Scrooge sought injustice. Jesus was selfless; Scrooge was the most selfish.
Although the contrast is strong, the progression of Scrooge’s story has a good message: facing terrible actions and being influenced to change them.
Once he has seen the direction his wrongs are taking him, he realizes the error of his ways and wants to change for the better.
A Christmas Carol is our story. We each have done wrong in the past and present, and will in the future, but when faced with the direction these actions are taking us, we, too, can realize the change that needs to be made.
It is Christ himself. The babe that lay in a manger, the prince of peace, the servant king, the Saviour born for humankind.
His actions guide us and his resurrection gives hope for the future.
Complex and deep as they may be, these stories are gifts that, if told year after year, will be understood, will be cherished as a Christmas memory and will change our children’s lives forever.
— Amanda Swartz is a young mother and a member of High Point Salvation Army Church in Vic West.
