Twas the week before Easter

For a school book report (I haven't done one of those since 5th grade) I got an audio-book app with the hopes of finding one of the books from my reading list available. It wasn't. However the app allowed me a free audio-book so I looked and for some reason decided that listening to A Christmas Carol in March would be a good idea. Plus it was narrated by Tim Curry so at least it wouldn't be dull. I thought listening to it as I fell asleep each night would be a good way to end the day. Last night I lay looking at the ceiling listening to Marley's lament to Scrooge:

Scrooge: "But you were always a good man of business, Jacob."
Marley: "Business!....Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence were, all, my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business....Why did I walk through crowds of fellow-beings with my eyes turned down, and never raise them to that blessed Star which led the Wise Men to a poor abode! Were there no poor homes to which its light would have conducted me!"

In those quiet moments before sleep, I listened to this scene again and again. I have never wished for a ghostly specter to sit in my chair but last night, in my minds eye, I could almost see him there. Not haunting but reminding and warning. I felt to cry aloud with him. I get so caught up in what I believe to be my business that I lose sight of those around me. This Sunday is Easter. The sweet message of this season is that of a Perfect Being whose whole existence was to be about His Father's business. Ultimately He frees me from being as Marley, "captive,bound, and double-ironed" and allows me to change as Scrooge was changed. Would that I would make mankind my business and could live everyday looking up. Because He is risen I have that chance to change everyday. Happy Easter!