Dating back to the Christmas Story in Bethlehem, there has always been a Christmas villain. That first Christmas it was King Herod. He sought to destroy the very reason for Christmas and since that time, many have done their best to kill or at least dampen the Christmas Spirit.
Let’s start with that old Grinch! He started out mean and without a friend,
but his heart grew three sizes by the end.
Then there was Ebeneezer Scrooge who bah-humbugged Christmas every year,
but learned to love and spread Christmas cheer.
Even Clark Griswold’s boss withheld a Christmas blessing
and enrolled his employees in the jelly of the month club much to their distressing.
These Christmas villains came to their senses and gave us a happy ending
but others never changed, and their hearts are still in need of mending.
Mr. Potter was driven by greed
It Was a Wonderful Life despite the miser who preyed on those in need
Scott Farkus bullied his way right through A Christmas Story,
leaving a wake of cuts and bruises, he and his gang always were derogatory.
The Wet Bandits, Harry and Marv were sent to jail with only one care,
not that they did wrong but that they were caught in Kevin’s snare.
Have you encountered a Christmas villain this year? Not in the movies, but face to face perhaps. Someone who seeks to destroy the hope, love and joy that came down that first Christmas. Sometimes it is not enough that an individual is not at peace with God, but they seek to destroy the effects of that peace in others lives.
No matter what time of year, those who have Jesus living within them should not be surprised when a Grinch attempts to bring them down. Jesus said, “If the world hates you, keep in mind it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” John 15:18-19.
From the moment Jesus was laid in the manger, people have attempted to kill the spirit of Christmas. Even those Christmas villains like Herod deep down knew that there was something so different about this little babe that He could change the world. As an infant, even evil men acknowledged the power of God on earth and attempted to destroy it.
If we think about that for a moment, it sounds very unreasonable. Being terrified of a little baby born to poor parents. Herod went to great lengths to kill Jesus for the first few years of his life. Why? Because even those who want to destroy the Spirit of Christmas at some level know the power of God to change hearts and minds…most of all their own. Every soul who encounters Jesus will respond, whether it is surrender or resistance, all will respond.
As you encounter Christmas villains this season, there are some like Scrooge that will be changed by the Spirit of Christmas and sadly, some like old Mr. Potter that will remain without the Spirit of Christmas. That shouldn’t stop you from interceding for those hardened hearts, asking the Holy Christmas Spirit to intervene and turn their heart of stone into a heart of flesh. A heart that Jesus can mold into a heart that loves and treasures Christmas and celebrates the birth of our Savior.
