“A toast . . . to my big brother, George. The richest man in town!” – Harry Bailey

We watched that timeless classic It’s a Wonderful Life tonight.

There’s a reason people have been watching this movie for sixty years. It speaks to so many aches in the human heart: the desire for a life of meaning, for friendship, for rescue, for redemption, for joy. And it portrays the high virtues of self-sacrifice, perseverance and goodness in the character of George Bailey, a struggling everyman who, though harried and flawed, gets all the big things right.

George’s innate sense of goodness and honor is displayed well in these two gut-wrenching scenes (script courtesy of corky.net):

GEORGE (harshly): Listen to me! Listen to me! Think! Think!

UNCLE BILLY (sobbing): I can’t think any more, George. I can’t think any more. It hurts . . .

George jerks him to his feet and shakes him. Uncle Billy stands before him like a frisked criminal, all his pockets hanging out, empty. George’s eyes and manner are almost maniacal.

GEORGE (screaming at him): Where’s that money, you stupid, silly old fool? Where’s the money? Do you realize what this means? It means bankruptcy and scandal, and prison!

He throws Uncle Billy down into his chair, and still shouts at him:

GEORGE (cont’d): That’s what it means! One of us is going to jail! Well, it’s not going to be me!

Emphasis mine. Contrast this with a scene a few minutes later:

GEORGE (desperate): Please help me, Mr. Potter. Help me, won’t you please? Can’t you see what it means to my family? I’ll pay you any sort of a bonus on the loan . . . any interest. If you still want the Building and Loan, why I . . .

POTTER (interrupting): George, could it possibly be there’s a slight discrepancy in the books?

GEORGE: No, sir. There’s nothing wrong with the books. I’ve just misplaced eight thousand dollars. I can’t find it anywhere.

POTTER (looking up): You misplaced eight thousand dollars?

GEORGE: Yes, sir.

It’s only for a brief second, but you can almost see a flicker of amazement in Potter’s eyes when George claims responsibility for the loss of the money. Unbeknownst to George, Potter knows full well that Uncle Billy is the one who lost it. George Bailey, in his desperation and humiliation, is still willing to take the blame and give up everything to protect his uncle and business partner. This kind of behavior is incomprehensible to a man like Potter.

In the end, of course, George is unable to save himself. Aren’t we all? Yet saved he is, through the miraculous intervention of a messenger of God sent to heal George’s confused and broken spirit, and the intervention of a loving wife and a hundred friends united in prayer and in tangible help to save George from the financial ruin that faced him.

That’s a picture of what Church is and should be if I’ve ever seen one.

And George’s life, from start to finish, is a picture of the abundant life Christ promises us, full of sacrifice, and perseverance, and honor, and true friendships, and redemption.

It truly is a wonderful life!

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” – John 10:10