Scrooge: A 5 Day Devotional Based on the Charles Dickens' Classic TaleSample

The Visitation from Marley’s Ghost

Our Greedy Grip on Time

Ebenezer Scrooge.

That self-obsessed miserable miser of all things un-merry and un-bright, Scrooge is everything Christmas isn’t. But even though most of us probably know about Scrooge’s starring role in A Christmas Carol, as well as we know the lyrics to “Silent Night,” there are still a few things we can learn from Scrooge’s tale.

Let’s jump back into the familiar story, full of friendly (and not so friendly!) ghosts, kind-hearted Bob Cratchit, and good old Tiny Tim, to find out if there’s anything new we can glean about our present-day selves from this beloved Christmas story.

Anyone who has ever read Charles Dickens’ classic tale or seen it on the big screen (Mickey Mouse Christmas Carol, anyone?!), knows that Scrooge is the definition of greed, so much so that his very name is a synonym for the word.

But while Scrooge is obviously greedy with the one thing he loves most in the world—money—he’s also greedy with another commodity that might hit closer to home today: time.

You might be thinking, I’m not greedy with my time! Have you seen my Google calendar, especially in December? It’s full of things I’m doing for other people!

Exactly. It’s full.

We don’t have time to spare anymore.

Sure, we might think we’re doing a bunch of things for other people—holiday parties, Christmas programs, end-of-year fundraisers—but how often are we neglecting the people God has placed right in front of us in favor of the bright and shiny get-togethers of the holiday season?

Forgetting to call our grandparents to check in because our days are just too full. Being physically, but not emotionally, present with our spouse. Overlooking the many impoverished children and families in our own communities and around the world.

Like Scrooge, we greedily guard against anything (or anyone!) that would interrupt our plans or throw off our productivity. Old Ebenezer would applaud this miserable hoarding of each hour, but we’re called to be generous in all things, especially our time.

In a letter to some friends wanting to know how to live well, the apostle Paul writes: “Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others…Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.” (Philippians 2:3-4 NLT). When we choose to be greedy with our time, we’re choosing to put ourselves above everyone else around us. The day becomes about what I want, about what I value, about what I can accomplish.

Jesus himself echoes Paul’s sentiment when he tells us to guard against every kind of greed since life is not measured by how much you own (Luke 12:15).

Greed isn’t simply limited to Scrooge counting coins in the dank offices of his firm—it’s you and me running around thinking we’re the main character in our own version of A Christmas Carol. News flash: that role wasn’t super enjoyable for Scrooge, and it won’t be for us either unless we choose to release the vise-grip we have on our time.

God invites us to a life of so much more, to be so much more than the main event. Let’s examine our own greedy tendencies this Christmas season and choose instead to put the needs of others above our own.

Question: In what areas do you struggle to be generous? A lot of us hoard our time like Scrooge hoarded his money. How can you be more generous with your time this Christmas season? What can you remove from your agenda so you’re able to truly embody that spirit of generosity?

Jump into the world of Scrooge: A Christmas Carolby listening to the companion podcast from Hope Nation here!