How the Grinch Stole Christmas

This morning we talked about Dr. Seuss' Christmas story, "The Grinch that Stole Christmas." Of course, the message of that story was that the problem was his heart:

...The Grinch hated Christmas!
The whole Christmas season!
Now, please don’t ask why.
No one quite knows the reason.
It could be his head wasn’t screwed on just right.
It could be, perhaps, that his
shoes were too tight.
But I think that the most likely reason of all,
May have been that his heart
was two sizes too small...

The bottom line, the thing that saved the day as it were, was the WITNESS of the people of Whoville who did not let the lack of presents steal their Christmas joy and heartfelt singing.

Of course, the lesson for us is similar. Let nothing steal our joy this Christmas. What kinds of things steal our joy? The list is probably endless, but let's name a few things:

• Endless shopping that leads to burnout.
• Overspending that leads to financial stress.
• Countless parties, concerts, and programs that lead to exhaustion.
• Family traditions that are done "because we always do" that add to stress and lead to resentment.
• Marathon baking and "no holds barred" decorating that can lead away from the true meaning of Christmas.

Now I like to shop. I like Christmas cookies and lights and trees. Believe it or not I even like Christmas shopping (which is good because Beverly hates shopping in general). I enjoy a good Christmas concert and even enjoy tradition. All of these things are enjoyable until they become the thing that leads us away from what the season is all about, take on a life of their own, and ultimately steal our joy!

I fear that many of us get so caught up in the CELEBRATION, that the One we're celebrating becomes just another thing on our "to do list." Worse yet, Jesus becomes just one "piece" of the "Christmas pie."

We can say all we want that "Jesus is the reason for the season," but ask yourself if your Christmas busy-ness is helping you to focus on Him or pulling your attention in so many directions that He is lost in all of it.

If you are stressed and tired and resentful and pressured about the holidays, that may be an indication that the activities have become your Grinch. They have stolen your joy, and in doing so, have stolen your witness to your friends and neighbors.

Don't let the "Activity Grinch" steal Christmas for you this year!

Talk to me! What are your thoughts?

Create a Christmas that Shapes Your Spirit

Jesus came to change the world, but He also came to change us. (I really suspect that the way He can change the world is through us, but that's another topic.) The important thing, for today's message, is that we are to be like Jesus. Seeing what He sees. Hearing what He hears. Doing what He does.

We talked this morning about what changes Jesus wants to make in us:

• He came to give us a spirit of compassion.
• He came to give us a spirit of generosity--generosity with things like time, talents, and treasures as well as wisdom and forgiveness.
• He came to give us a spirit of grace and truth.

Think for a moment about the God we serve. He cares for us and cared enough to buy our salvation and eternal life when we were helpless in our sin. He is generous with us, giving us everything we need (but not necessarily everything we want sometimes) and has gifted each of us with talents and spiritual gifts. He has grace that he freely bestows on us, and His truth has set us free!

We are supposed to be like Him. If we are letting Him change us to be more and more like Him, we will have an impact on this world. We are His hands and feet in this world. Consider these scriptures:

"The King [Jesus] will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’" Matthew 25:14

"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." James 1:27

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new ishere! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us."
II Corinthians 5:17-20

It is a wonderful thing to have received the gift of salvation. That is, by far, the best Christmas present ever. The fact that God has also gifted us with a responsibility to "be Jesus" to those around us is amazing to me! When we reach out to others in a spirit of compassion and generosity, we are showing Jesus to those around us.

It doesn't matter if it is December or April or August. When we reach out we are reminding them in a big way or a small way of the gift that came to mankind on that first Christmas night 2,000 years ago. It's our way of saying Merry Christmas all year long.

Thoughts? Post a comment!

Create a Christmas that Serves Your Community

Let's not do "Christmas as usual" this year. Let's not do "life as usual" starting now.

Today we talked about the Christ of Christmas who came to serve, and how we as Christians should do no less.

This post will consist of the scriptures we used this morning, and links for some organizations we recommend.

We follow Jesus' lead by walking in His shoes.

"Whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:44-45

We were born to serve.

"For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10

We were born to serve those around us.

"The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’"
Matthew 25:40

We were born to serve globally.

"You are the light of the world." Matthew 5:14

The opportunities to give, to share, to help, and to bless are endless. I encourage each of you to ask God what He would have you do, not just during the Christmas holiday but throughout the year. (People are not just hungry, or thirsty, or homeless on December 25. Their needs are all year long.)

This morning we talked about a variety of opportunities. Here are some links to explore them further. Explore. Listen. Obey.

World Vision (U.S.)

World Vision (International)

Hoops of Hope (Austin Gutwein)

Hands and Feet (Woodland)

Yolo Wayfarer Center

Pregnancy Support Group

Advent Conspiracy

Living Water International

Help San Bruno Fire Victims (Facebook link)


How will you serve others this Christmas and the coming year? Post a comment! I'll be so excited to hear what you are going to do!