09 Dec What Is Your Business?
There are a handful of phrases and quotes that either give me pause or stir my spirit. In the rarest of cases one can do both. Such is the case with Jacob Marley’s famous quote from Charles Dickens’ classic, “A Christmas Carol.” In Dickens’ story the ghost of Marley speaks these haunting words:
Illustration by John Leech from the 1st edition of A Christmas Carol
“Mankind was my business. The common welfare was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, benevolence, were all my business. The dealings of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!”
So I ask you, “What is your business?”
Here at Christmas time you no doubt have a lot going on. Work demands your attention. Responsibility demands your attention. Everything seems too important not to demand your attention! We all have a lot on our plates this time of year, but that doesn’t mean that we have God’s permission to ignore our responsibilities to others. If you have relationships that have been sitting on the back burner, now is the time to reconnect. After all, the greatest gift we can give to others is our time.
If you have kids or grandkids, you owe them your time. If you are married, your spouse deserves your attention. If you have relatives or neighbors nearby, they deserve a visit. Even the dog wants some one-on-one time with you.
During this brief holiday season your family and friends are your business. Serve them well.
Merry Christmas,