Don’t Be Grinchy, Follow Jesus

Sometimes, well, sometimes people can be just plain mean like the grinch. Are their shoes too tight? Is their heart too small? Who knows? I don’t know. I do know that consistency in words, actions, and attitudes reflect the heart many times. Jesus equated different hearts to different types of soils in Matthew 13. One heart was like a path that received the Word (Gospel or seed of Jesus), but nothing grew. Are there hearts that know the right things to do, but put themselves first or act in dishonoring ways? Then, the rocky heart or soil initially received the word or seed, but the plant had shallow roots and dried up in the hot sun. Maybe the hot sun represents pressure from culture. What does culture tell us to do or act like that is representative of shallowness? Is appearance the most important thing? Money? Facebook and Instagram can be shallow representations of truths. Then, the thorns choked out another plant. Do the thorns represent the distractions of this world? Do distractions of this world and pressures make me act in ways that are self-centered and sometimes unkind to others to be number one? But what about the rich, fertile soil or soft heart? What happened to the Grinch’s heart when Cindy Lou Who showed him love?  Yes, her love changed the Grinch’s heart greatly, just like the power of the Gospel can spread greatly, worldwide, and in our hearts.  The Gospel changes people.  But, how?  When someone can realize and accept that they are so greatly loved by God, that He sent His son to personally die on a cross for him or her……that can change their hearts and help them grow.  The love in someone’s heart grows from the power of the Holy Spirit.  Just like Jesus started with a few men to grow the Kingdom of God, the Gospel (John 3:16) can spread and change the hearts of people locally, and worldwide.  Just like yeast works in the bread, His grace works in us.  “His grace grows in our heart and changes us from the inside out” (Boice, 1983).  Our pastor spoke of New Beginnings and an eternal relationship with God in a new Heaven.  We pray for everyone to come to know Jesus, and to not miss out an eternal relationship with God.  Be like the new Grinch, not the old, and accept and follow Jesus.  Have New Beginnings.  James 1:22 (memory verse) “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves.  Do what it says.”  Have sacrificial love that forgives and shares love, not grinchiness.