"YOU'RE A MEAN ONE, MR GRINCH"

Oh me, oh my a beautiful sunset once again being ruined by dark storm clouds.  You know how I love sunsets, or at least you should by now if you've been reading my blogs.  Yes, eventually that dumb cloud will move and the sunset will once again be beautiful but in the meantime I have to deal with this cloud on the horizon.  Seriously though, why do these clouds have to ruin my photo opportunity here?  I just don't get it!  It's frustrating when this happens.   I try to do my best and take fabulous photos of sunsets yet this day I couldn't take the photos I wanted, at least in this moment.  This cloud reminds me of the movie, "The Grinch Who Stole Christmas".  It's trying to ruin my picture the same way the Grinch tried to ruin Christmas.  He stole their presents, he took their decorations and he even stole their Christmas feast.  Who does that and why?  

Listen I know that it's only a story but if truth be told we all know a "Grinch" or two in our lives.  You know who I'm talking about, those people who try to suck the joy right out of you.  The grumblers, the complainers, the whiners, the blamers and the people who just can't stand to see anyone happy.  We all know people like that.  If they're not happy, you can't be happy.  Their hearts are as cold as ice if we could ever see the real truth they hide behind this "Grinch" attitude.  They consider themselves right and everyone else is wrong, they think way too highly of themselves, even though they know the truth they're trying to hide.  They may even wear smiles on the outside, acting like "goody two shoes" to others while there is a raging fire of anger and resentment that is burning in their souls.  

Their words are weapons and are as sharp and deadly as a sword.  In a war of words they reveal their truth.  They often speak without thinking.  They hide behind their words hoping no one discovers the truth.  Theses "Grinch" like people are often so offended and so angry because they're lost and broken.  They don't want to know how desperate they are searching for someone to love them and accept so, so they push everyone aside.  They don't know what true happiness looks like or feel like.  They feel empty and lost.  They feel alone and vulnerable.  They have a void that they are searching to fill and that void can ony be filled with the love of Jesus Christ.

Ezekiel 36:26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you;  I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh 

The "Grinch" discovered that Christmas still came no matter what he stole. He thought he could steal their joy and ruin their Christmas by removing all the things that he thought Christmas was about. He thought by removing things, it removed Christmas.  He thought he could destroy their happiness, but he was wrong.  He discovered the truth he had been hiding for many years.  He discovered the truth behind his anger and his attitude.  Instead of blaming, grumbling, whining and complaining he looked at his heart of stone and realized he needed to change.  His heart grew so big the day he finally gave up that heart of stone.

  "It came without ribbons.  It came without tags.  It came without packages, boxes or bows."  He puzzled and puzzled 'til his puzzler was worn out.  Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before.  What if Christmas doesn't come from a store?  What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more?

Although the story of the Grinch doesn't mention Jesus, for me it draws me to Him because God removed his heart of stone an gave him a heart of flesh.  A heart that learned to love, a heart that learned to forgive, a heart that learned that may, just maybe, he had been wrong all along.  Jesus does that for me every single moment of every day.  He gives me a heart of flesh that beats for Him filled with love and forgiveness.  He can do that for you also.  Receive Him today and allow Him to change your heart from a heart of stone, to a heart of flesh.  And just like the Grinch, you can be transformed and changed.