More of Gravy

For a long time I've thought about including the story of Ebenezer Scrooge in a sermon. If for nothing else,there's a lot in it that "will preach." Greed, sin, redemption, love, forgiveness. It's all there.

While these are each important themes, I think the idea that most fascinates me about Scrooge is that it's likely he never set out to be a bad man. That he never intended to be the lonely old bachelor he is when we meet him on Christmas Eve.

Here, of course, I'm thinking of the flashback to his past. No matter which movie version you've seen, you know the picture: he's young and in love and engaged a wonderful young woman.

Yet in the midst of this, something happens.

Consider the possibility. Scrooge, it seems, wants to focus his attention on his work. On getting ahead. On being able to be financially secure in order to provide for his wife-to-be. No doubt this was in his mind the noblest of goals. But as he pursues it, that for which he was working the most slowly slipped away.

Like us, Scrooge never imagined himself a person whose name would be synonymous with wrongdoing. He was simply trying to do the smart thing. To do what he needed in life. After all, making money is not in itself an evil thing. It is just a thing.

But failing to do what is needed because our attention is too tightly focused on one area of our lives? Letting love and beauty slip away because we can't see the forest for the trees? Sure, it happens. But that's rough.

You see, a lot of times we think that the Church is telling people they're just plain evil and need to stop. And ya, sometimes that's true.

But sometimes...well, sometimes it is just trying to help us all see how misplaced our focus is. How mixed up our priorities are--so much so that we might not even realize.

How, in spite of all our wisdom and plans and seeming sureties, we--like Scrooge--are lost in the truest sense.