The Selfie Stick, Scrooge, and You

From today’s reading...

“Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory;

rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves,

each looking out not for his own interests,

but also everyone for those of others."

Drugs, pornography, alcohol, money, power. Notice how people who chase those and get an armful—even a boatload—always seem to want more?

Think of an alcoholic that you're close to. How happy are they?

When did the Grinch find happiness? What about Ebenezer Scrooge, the "bad guy" in Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, written over 175 years ago in 1843?

“The cold within him froze his old features, nipped his pointed nose, shrivelled his cheek, stiffened his gait; made his eyes red, his thin lips blue; and spoke out shrewdly in his grating voice."

You and I probably won't have one angel—let alone three—visit us and show us how we're being Grinches and Scrooges so we better just get to work helping others now.

We're surrounded by Freds and Bog Cratchits and Tiny Tims, if we'll just look up from our selfie sticks and Fortnites and Fantasy Football Leagues for a moment to notice them, to finally see them, understand them, get to know them, and help them.

Your golf game will not improve with the newest $600 driver so spend $100 on some lessons and give the difference to your church this Sunday.

You won't win that debate on Facebook so use those otherwise-wasted two hours spitting into the digital wind mowing the yard of a sick or elderly neighbor.

Make your own coffee for a month and take the $5 you would've spent at Starbucks each day and use that $150 to buy gifts or a nice turkey dinner for a family in need this Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Placing the needs of others ahead of yourself is the only way to...

Stay the course.

Keep the faith.

Endure.

Now go sell something.