ANOTHER CHRISTMAS LUNATIC

(Post by: Lilly Hobbs) Blogmas Day Twelve 2024

This past weekend, my family and I sat down to watch A Christmas Carol, which many of you know is a staple Christmas movie in our household and has provided us much Blogmas content over the years.

So, I expect that to some of you, it won’t be a surprise when I say that as I watched the movie again, I received some new insight. This time, the insight being on the life and character of Bob Cratchit.

Bob Cratchit is the overworked, underpaid clerk of Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens’ classic story.

I have always liked Bob Cratchit, even from the very first time I watched the movie. He is loyal, kind-hearted, a hard-working provider for his family, you know, all the things a man should be.

Yet, there is something more about Bob Cratchit one only hopes they will discover throughout the movie, which I believe you do, after Scrooge’s nephew, Fred, comes to visit their office.

The encounter between Scrooge and Fred is less than merry. In fact, I don’t think anyone would have blamed Fred or Bob for being quite grumpy the rest of the day after the things Scrooge said to each of them.

Immediately after Fred leaves, Scrooge walks into the little room Bob Cratchit works in for long hours every day. It’s dark, dreary, and cold. Angrily, Scrooge asks if Bob finds his nephew amusing.

When Cratchit replies by saying that he is a very pleasant man, Scrooge, in almost a growling tone of voice tries to insult Cratchit by saying, “You’re another Christmas lunatic like him.”

As soon as I heard Scrooge make this claim about Cratchit, it dawned on me that this is the statement that reveals to us just who Bob Cratchit really is.

See, what Scrooge meant by this was that Cratchit had a certain kind of joy and happiness, which he had no other words to explain except for the three he meant as an insult; “Another Christmas lunatic.”

Maybe, just maybe, to be a Christmas lunatic is to be a Christian.

Like Fred, I wonder how many Christmases Cratchit had stayed loyal to Scrooge regardless of how he was treated. I wonder how many times he could have walked out, but instead showed him kindness and mercy when he didn’t deserve it.

The kind of joy and happiness Cratchit possessed wasn’t dependent on who Scrooge was or how he treated him. It came from something deeper and was more eternal in nature.

What is most encouraging about this story is that Bob Cratchit eventually gets to witness Scrooge become another Christmas lunatic and plays one of the most significant roles in helping him become one.

So, allow me to challenge you today with this one thought… Your Scrooge is watching, and though they may not say it, what they most deeply desire is to be a Christmas lunatic just like you.

Allow your joy and happiness to be contagious this season.

After all, to be a Christmas lunatic is to simply be a genuine Christian.