Christ's Story

Over the Christmas break, I watched the live-action version of the Dr. Seuss classic How The Grinch Stole Christmas.  The major difference between the 2000 version and the original animated film is it delves into the backstory of the Grinch and provides a revenge theme for his hatred of Christmas due to bullying and abuse suffered in school.  The young Grinch was mocked for his appearance and the special gift he worked hard to make was destroyed, and this deep-seated resentment and bitterness fueled his hatred of the Christmas season and desire to cause havoc in Whoville.

I might just be getting old and forgetful, but there seems to be an emphasis on backstories these days as a means of justifying bad behaviour and the rise of the antihero.  Gone is the squeaky-clean person who desires to do good despite their own suffering:  the gritty details of their past must be unearthed that shaped them into whomever they grew to be.  People commit despicable crimes and point to what they have suffered as a reason for the series of decisions they made that literally lead to others dying--as if they were helpless victims of doing wickedly.  Without a sound foundation of God's goodness and righteousness, it is very easy to justify what God calls evil.

For everyone who is bent and embittered by suffering, the scripture provides examples of people bettered by it as they looked to God.  Without God in the world, evil would always lead to more evil.  Suffering can lead to bitterness, yet it can also be formative in a healthy sense.  This is not to justify making others suffer out of spite or malice, but God's redemptive power is seen in even redeeming suffering for our God and God's glory.  Hebrews 5:7-9 says of Jesus Christ:  "...who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear, ⁸ though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered."  Rather than honouring Himself, Jesus humbled Himself as the Son of God and suffered many things as a human being.  In addition to learning obedience, He was perfected and made the author of salvation for all who trust in Him.

Jesus was not doomed to bitterness, revenge and malice because of the sufferings of His youth.  Left on our own, we would not "come around" as the Grinch did, whose heart grew three sizes in one day when he realised Christmas was more than packaging, boxes and bags.  God redeems our suffering to draw us to Himself that we might discover healing, wholeness and salvation by His grace.  Jesus is the pure, holy Saviour who is close to all who draw near to Him in faith and is able to save us--from ourselves, bitterness and desire for revenge.  Our backstory is not as important as Christ's story, for He is able to redeem our hurts and pains for eternal gain.  Isn't it wonderful we need not be slaves to sin or what has happened to us because of who Jesus is for us?