I don’t know if you are a Dr. Seuss fan but the older I get the more I get Dr. Seuss. I’m not saying that I’m eating more green eggs and ham these days but I am saying that I’m finding Dr. Seuss’ stories have application to the greater story of life. 

One Dr. Seuss story that is popular this time of year is “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”. The story begins with these words “Every Who down in Who-ville liked Christmas a lot…but the Grinch, who lived just north of Who-ville, did not”. So the Grinch comes up with a “wonderful, awful idea. He’ll disguise himself as Santa and while all the Who’s are sleeping he’ll go down to Who-Ville and stop Christmas from coming by stealing all the symbols of Christmas. So off the Grinch goes to Who-ville. Once there he steals the stockings, the presents, the pudding, the roast beast, and of course the tree. With his sled all packed up the Grinch heads back up to Mt. Crumpit. 

He rode with his load to the tiptop to dump it! Pooh-Pooh to the Whos! he was Grinch-ish–ly humming. They’re finding out now that no Christmas is coming! They’re just waking up! I know just what they’ll do! Their mouths will hang open a minute or two; Then the Whos down in Who-ville will all cry BOO-HOO. That’s a noise, grinned the Grinch, That I simply must hear! So he paused. And the Grinch put his hand to his ear. And he did hear a sound rising over the snow. It started in low. Then it started to grow…But the sound wasn’t sad! Why, this sound sounded merry! It couldn’t be so! But it was merry! Very! He stared down at Who-ville! The Grinch popped his eyes! Then he shook! What he saw was a shocking surprise! Every Who down in Who-ville, the tall and the small, Was singing! Without any presents at all! He hadn’t stopped Christmas from coming! It CAME! Somehow or other, it came just the same! And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice-cold in the snow, Stood puzzling and puzzling: How could it be so? It came without ribbons! It came without tags! It came without packages, boxes, or bags! Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before! Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas….perhaps…means a little bit more.

As we journey through the Christmas Season I’m aware of another Grinch that would like to steal Christmas from many people and that is the Grinch of Grief.  All around us the symbols of Christmas have appeared: trees, stockings, gifts, and lights. It’s a sight that seems to say that “we like Christmas a lot”. Lurking in the shadows of the souls of some, however, is the Grinch of Grief who does not. It does not like anything that resembles Christmas. This Grinch has come to try to take Christmas and metaphorically dump it over the edge of a cliff.

To those whom the Grinch of Grief has led to the edge of this cliff I would offer this word of encouragement before dumping Christmas over the edge. Look past the symbols of Christmas and see the heart of Christmas. The symbols of Christmas are nothing more than signs that point us to the true meaning of Christmas. The heart of Christmas is about a Savior, named Jesus Christ who came to this earth and clothed Himself in human likeness to bear our sin and grief and to carry our sorrows. Isaiah 53:4 says: Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.

Christmas is the celebration of Jesus Christ coming to this sinful, grief-stricken world to identify with us so that He could give us the help we so desperately need. Jesus understands all of our pain, sorrow, and grief.  Jesus came to take our pain and give us His peace. Jesus Christ came to take our sorrow and give us His joy. Jesus Christ came to carry our grief and give us His hope. 

To those who might have been ready to dump Christmas over the edge of the cliff I pray that you have had a change of heart now that you’ve seen the heart of Christmas. There’s really no need to allow the Grinch of Grief your Christmas to steal for Jesus came to this earth and knows how you feel. There is no maybe about it.  Christmas means a whole lot more; such as Jesus Christ came and our sins and griefs He bore.

©2017 Travis L. Edwards. All Rights Reserved