How I Got Rid of the Grinch in My Life

I used to work in retail at a big box store. It might sound strange, but I used to get pretty anxious when Christmas was on the horizon. In the world of retail, from Thanksgiving through January, the holiday season was a rollercoaster of emotions. Customers often got impatient, frustrated, and sometimes even argumentative. It seemed like the pursuit of the perfect gift for their loved ones had a knack for bringing out the worst in people.

One Christmas Eve, I vividly remember a customer berating me because we were out of Airpods, which happened to be the only thing her child had their heart set on for Christmas. She pointed the finger at me, blaming me for the impending disappointment, even though I was just a store associate. The conversation, to put it mildly, was quite harsh, and it left me in tears.

So, you could say I turned into a bit of a “Grinch” when it came to embracing the holiday spirit. I grew tired of the relentless focus on material possessions and the idea that the more you pile under the tree, the better.

Now that Christmas is around the corner, and I’m no longer in the retail game, I’ve had the chance to take a step back and rethink my perspective. It’s pretty clear that I had it all wrong. Christmas isn’t about me, nor is it just about the gifts under the tree. It carries much deeper significance.

Christmas is, at its core, about celebrating the birth of Jesus. I had allowed the worldly chaos to overshadow the true meaning of this celebration. This led to a fundamental question: What can I give Jesus that truly matters?

The answer, I’ve come to realize, is surprisingly simple. Jesus wants one thing for Christmas – He wants me. It’s a gift, I realized, that only I can give. I can also encourage others to do the same, but it all begins with my unwavering commitment to Christ.

So, how do you go about giving yourself to Christ for Christmas?

• It’s about devoting your time, talents, and financial resources to His service.
• It means putting others’ needs before your own. It’s living a life of goodness and righteousness.
• It involves disconnecting from the distractions of technology and work, instead spending quality time in His presence and actively listening to His guidance.
• It’s sharing His teachings with others, dedicating your life to His cause.

And here’s the thing – this isn’t just a lesson for the grown-ups. Kids can grasp its importance too, especially when they’re bombarded with the materialistic side of Christmas. It’s our duty to teach them that offering this gift to Jesus should be a daily practice, not just something we do on December 25th.

If you are looking for lessons that you can teach these principles to your kids, Happy Birthday Jesus does this.

So, as the holiday season approaches, let’s take a moment to remember the true spirit of Christmas, to give the gift that truly matters, and to inspire those around us to do the same. After all, the most valuable gift you can give to Jesus is yourself.

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