Dr. Seuss wrote a classic children’s story of a fictional, bitter, cave-dwelling, green, catlike character with a heart “two sizes too small.” This joyless character and his dog Max lives just north of Whoville on snowy Mount Crumpit. Whoville is a town of the generous, joyful and loving Whos.
In their joy and Christmas spirit, the citizens of Whoville sing and prepare their Christmas festivities. The sounds of these festive preparations ascend all the way up the mountain to the Grinch’s ears. Not possessing any joy, and not wanting others to possess any either, the Grinch schemes how he might descend into Whoville and destroy Christmas. He decides to steal their Christmas presents, their holiday food, and their decorations. He thinks such destruction will “prevent Christmas from coming”.
But Christmas morning dawns bright and beautiful, and up on Mount Crumpit, the thief stands knee-deep in snow amazed at what he hears . . .
“Every Who Down in Whoville, the tall and the small, was singing! Without any presents at all!
He hadn’t stopped Christmas from coming at all!
It came without ribbons! It came without tags!
It came without packages, boxes or bags!
And the Grinch puzzled and puzzled ’till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t thought of before.
What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store.
What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”
~Dr. Seuss
What if Christmas means something more? Now isn’t that an incredible thought!? Christmas, something more! That is why the Grinch couldn’t steal Christmas . . . because there is something more in Christmas.
“And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn” Luke 2:7 KJV).
Christmas means more than a miracle on our street. It means more than a wonderful life lived in our city. It means more than our scroogey dreams. What is Christmas about? Why is the Grinch of all grinchs trying to destroy the hope that Christmas brings? Well, just maybe Christmas doesn’t come from Santa Claus. Maybe Christmas has a deeper cause! What is the cause of Christmas?
“For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11 KJV). There’s the answer to our question! When the angel says “born to you” he is telling the shepherds that the Savior, Christ the Lord has been born for our benefit. The reason he has been born is to be our Savior!
Christmas came despite the Grinch’s destruction . . . because Christmas is not contained in gifts, and decorations, and food, and festivity. Christmas is more than all that . . . because a Savior has been born unto us.
Dear Father, thank you for a Christmas that can’t be destroyed. Grant that we may share Christmas with those around us. This I pray in the name of Jesus. AMEN
Be encouraged today in a Christmas that can’t be destroyed,