Our family watched the vintage classic "A Christmas Carol" this past week. I've seen the movie several times in my life, but this time I saw something new, something huge ... it happens in the middle of the movie when Scrooge is visited by the ghost of Christmas Present with two orphans, Ignorance and Want.
I couldn't find a video clip, but here's the transcript;
"They are Man’s" said the Spirit, looking down upon them. "And they cling to me, appealing from their fathers. This boy is Ignorance. This girl is Want. Beware them both, and all of their degree, but most of all beware this boy, for on his brow I see that written which is Doom, unless the writing be erased. Deny it." cried the Spirit, stretching out its hand towards the city. "Slander those who tell it ye. Admit it for your factious purposes, and make it worse. And abide the end."
"Have they no refuge or resource." cried Scrooge.
"Are there no prisons". said the Spirit, turning on him for the last time with his own words. "Are there no workhouses."
Championing the causes of the poor and oppressed, Charles Dickens personified Ignorance and Want as twins because Ignorance and Want are the twin evils of humanity. And eventually Ignorance will lead to doom.
Which made me think, it's really how WE act and behave towards one another in society that plays a vital role in lives of the poor and the oppressed. When I say we, I mean all of us! The orphan twins symbolized the plight of the poor and the causes of their poverty as well as humanity’s obligation to them. IGNORANCE is the greater evil, I'll speak for myself ... I don't want to be ignorant.
It is Ignorance that says "we aren’t their keepers" or say "someone should go do something about that problem". It is so much easier to bury our heads in the sand because poverty makes us feel so uncomfortable. Well maybe that feeling is good for us. It makes us think, and hopefully change.
I'm not sure what 2008 holds for us as a family, there are some big decisions on the horizon for us. One thing is the possibility of caring for the marginalized in our country and those just across the border. One very inspirational prospect is something called Micro Lending. In case you don't know what it is or who it's founder Muhammad Yunus is, check out the video, he won the Nobel Peace prize for his work and ideas on ending poverty. He's been quite an inspiration and his ideas from his book "Small Change" have been a big part of many conversations Jon and I have had this past year.
So as we end 2007, my hope and wish for you is; to love, give and grow more abundantly in 2008!
