A Christmas Carol” By The

Gò0dNews for Teens

“A Christmas Carol” By The Son of God

by Filip Brunner

“Christmas a humbug, uncle!" said Scrooge's nephew. "You don't mean that, I am sure?" “I do,” said Scrooge. “Merry Christmas! What right have you to be merry? What reason have you to be merry? You're poor enough.” (From: The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens)

If Christmas is not to be the dismal occasion Mr. Ebenezer Scrooge makes it out to be, what should we conclude that Christmas really is all about?

Scrooge belief is that it is the accumulation of riches that satisfies and that Christmas is a waste of resources and therefore needs to be avoided at all cost. What Mr. Ebenezer is missing like so many of us miss at Christmas is that it is not about this world’s riches. Indeed Christmas is not about us at all. It is about God and His willingness to reconcile us to Himself. So, all in all, it is not about us giving gifts to one another but God giving us the gift of Jesus. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy getting gifts as much as anyone but, what would happen if we, out of gratitude for our Savior, gave gifts to Jesus. This is a practice which has been done in the past or it might even be something which your family is in the practice of doing but what gift could we possibly give to someone who has everything? Or, does He?

“Moreover, brethren, we do you to wit of the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia; How that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality. For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves; Praying us with much intreaty that we would receive the gift, and take upon us the fellowship of the ministering to the saints. And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God. Insomuch that we desired Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also finish in you the same grace also” (2 Corinthians 8:1-6).

The Macedonian church was poor in material riches but was rich toward God. Notice that “…they gave their own selves to God first.” It sounds to me like if we are going

to give anything back to Jesus in exchange for His gift of eternal life to us, we need to give ourselves to Him. What more fitting gift to The Son of God then this.

“I am as light as a feather, I am as happy as an angel, I am as merry as a schoolboy. I am as giddy as a drunken man. A merry Christmas to everybody! …”

Now in the end, you Ebenezer, understand that unburdening yourself from the sin of this world that you find the true purpose of life.

About The Author Filip Brunner is married to his wife, Dr. Kim Brunner and together they have six children. He is a writer, author, and artist.