Tip of My Iceberg

Isley and Ryken participated in the production of “A Christmas Carol” at their school this past weekend. I’ve seen several different movie versions adapted from Charles Dickens’ novel, but I’d never seen the musical. The music added to the storyline of a man hardened by circumstances, watching his father thrown into prison for debt, promising he’d never be without money himself.

Scrooge was stingy with his money, not valuing people, telling those who would listen that the poor would be better off dying and reducing the excess population.

My favorite part was a musical number called “Link by Link,” where Jacob Marley was singing to Scrooge about what he could expect if he didn’t change his ways. Dancers wearing chains, looking morbidly sad, danced around him, making the atmosphere macabre.

“How the Grinch Stole Christmas” was Dr. Seuss’ parody of the same story. As a child, the Grinch was teased and felt left out and unloved, so he grew up hating Christmas. He tried to destroy Christmas for all of those in Whoville.

Our neighbors have triumphed again in their decorating expertise. Their home is resplendent with all things Grinch. People stop in the street to look at all the green Grinchy things on their lawn.

The story itself saddens me that someone became so isolated and rejected that his response was to destroy Christmas for others.

People often try to manipulate circumstances in negative ways to get outcomes they hope for. In the Bible, Judas was that kind of person.

One of Jesus’ twelve disciples, Judas, was in charge of the disciples’ money, often stealing from it for his own benefit. He was also disillusioned because he fully expected Jesus to be a political reformer, freeing the Jews from bondage to Rome. He wanted to force Jesus into asserting His authority, to help His own people. He couldn’t understand why Jesus wouldn’t destroy the Romans when He had the chance to do so. He plotted with the religious leaders to pressure Jesus to act with power.

“Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples, went to the leading priests and asked, ‘How much will you pay me to betray Jesus to you?’ And they gave him thirty pieces of silver.” Matthew 26:14-15.

Judas gave the palace guards a prearranged signal so they’d know which individual was Jesus–the One he kissed on the cheek.

When Judas realized that he hadn’t forced Jesus to act to save Himself, that He was being condemned to die, he was filled with remorse and returned the silver that had been given him. “‘I have sinned,’ he declared, ‘for I have betrayed an innocent man.’ ‘What do we care?’ they retorted. ‘That’s your problem.’ Then Judas threw the silver coins down in the Temple and went out and hanged himself.” Matthew 27:4-5.

Why talk about Jesus’ death when we celebrate His birth at Christmas? Because He was born to die for us. The wonder was how Jesus, the Son of God, left the glory of heaven, came to earth and took on our human form with all its weaknesses, and died in our place so we could be forgiven.

The Grinch exists in all of us, that side of us that is hurt, fearful of being alone, feeling like nobody really knows who we are. And if they did, they wouldn’t like us anyway.

Jesus loves the Grinch in us, because He knows He can redeem that part of us that even we don’t like.

If Scrooge and the Grinch can find forgiveness, we can as well. In Jesus.