Luke 2:10-11
[10] And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. [11] For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
Every year we watch “How The Grinch Stole Christmas” but my nieces prefer the newer animated Grinch, so that has been added to our yearly watch list. One thing I’ve noticed in the movie is a recurring theme, “rejection will consume and destroy you, if you let it.”
See, from childhood the Grinch was rejected and because of that he rejected others first in order to never be rejected again. And because he lived right outside of Whoville, he hated Christmas the most because that is when the whiskey came together as one people and celebrated what he never had, family and loved ones. The community coming together as one brought back all the pain from childhood, because he never let the wound heal.
If we allow pain to consume us, we will remain lonely and in pain. That will be our oppressor. A hard slave master. Christmas should be a time of joy, thanksgiving, and celebration. A time we forgive and let go the pain of the past, be thankful for the present, and look forward to the future.
Don’t be like the Grinch bottling up all the pain and closing yourself off to the world. Instead, open yourself up to hope. The hope of salvation that isn’t possible without the birth of Christ, the reason for the season.
Peace. Love. Go Forth and Let Pain Go.