Dr. Seuss was a philosopher and a keen observer of human nature. His stories are vibrant pictures of our hearts, both who we are and who we want to be. My favorite is the story that he wrote in 1957, entitled How the Grinch Stole Christmas. The tale follows a mean-spirited Grinch who is bothered by the holiday festivities that fill the town of Whoville. Determined to squash their joy, he sneaks into town and steals Christmas. Little does he know that the bows, packages, and lights are just the overflow of the love they have in their hearts. Watching the Whos celebrate, even when everything was gone, transforms the Grinch. As the story goes, his heart grew three sizes that day.
“I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart!” – Psalm 119:32
The truth is that the Grinch isn’t the only one who needs a bigger heart. My heart squeezes small when I let selfishness run rampant, bitterness bloom, and discouragement dig in deep. The fourth stanza of Psalm 119 contains a prayer and a desperate cry for a bigger heart. Filling ourselves of God’s Word, letting His voice rumble in our souls, and leaning in closer to hear His quiet whisper will stretch our hearts in unimaginable ways. That stretching will shape the contours of who we are. It will change how I see, what I hear, and how I respond to the world around me.
My Jesus Resolution today is to ask God for a bigger heart. Stretching isn’t always comfortable or easy. It requires giving up the familiar in order to be pulled and shaped within the parameters of His purpose. And yet, I want a bigger heart. A bigger heart has more room for joy, peace, praise, and celebration. In the end, a bigger heart will help me look more like Jesus.
Casandra Martin 
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