Never Beyond The Grinch

It’s been a long while since I’ve done a blog post for People of the Second Chance’s Never Beyond Series.  I’ve been quite busy lately, but I must say that I’m happy to kick things off again with none other than the hater of Christmas himself, the Grinch!

This December, my church put on a production of Dr. Seuss’ “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” with a Christian spin to it.  I played the show’s antagonist, the Mayor of Whoville, the man who hates the Grinch more than the Grinch hates Christmas.  It was a ton of fun.  Because of the play, I’ve had the Grinch’s story hammered into my brain for the past four months!  And guess what…the Grinch fits right in with the people who deserve a second chance.

The Grinch is a crooked, jerky jockey that drives a crooked horse.  He’s a creature you wouldn’t want to touch with a 39 1/2 foot pole.  Anyone in their right mind would choose to hang out with a seasick crocodile rather than the Grinch.  The three word that best describe him are as follows, and I quote,

“Stink!”

“Stank!”

“Stunk!” 

Here we have this creature that is filled with hate and loathing for Christmas.  Whether it’s because his head isn’t screwed on just right, or because his shoes are tied too tight, or because his his heart is three sizes too small; he can not stand Christmas, can’t stand it at all.  He hates it so much that he is willing to do whatever it takes to stop it.  Even if that means he needs to go down into Whoville and take it by force, which is exactly what he ends up doing.  The Grinch goes to Whoville and takes the material things common to Christmas, but the one thing he can’t take is the spirit of the season.

Christmas is about much more than gifts, food, and family.  It’s about the birth of Christ!  It’s about the day God Himself threw off His divine mantle and became a human being like us to take the sins of man.  Christmas is all about God doing the most unselfish thing anyone can do for anybody, give up His own life so that someone else may live.

Even if you’re not religious and take the stance that Christmas is just a holiday, the spirit of Christmas is still the same.  It’s about bringing joy, laughter, light, and all that is good back into the world.  Even if it’s only for one day, it’s a day were people can feel joy.  And for the rest of us who have good lives, we can take that joy to others who don’t have it for Christmas.  It’s about giving, not getting.  Giving of your time, money, and sometimes even your life to show others what love is all about.

The Grinch got his second chance, because he deserved one, just like everyone else we’ve discussed so far.  He learns that Christmas doesn’t come from a store, but that Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.  This holiday season, remember that Christmas is not about you, it’s about others.  It’s about Jesus, who is Christ the Lord!

If you would like to see my church’s rendition of the Grinch’s story, which is called “How Christmas Saved the Grinch”, you can watch it here (Please keep in mind that it’s a church production, so Christ was the center of the story):

* * *

I’m have partnered myself with People of the Second Chance and their Never Beyond Poster Series.  They will feature 25 posters representing well known historical, current, and fictional characters who are believed to have harmed society.  The campaign draws out themes of forgiveness, grace, and what a pathway to a second chance looks like.

To see my last post for the Never Beyond Series, click here: Mel Gibson.