It Really Is A Wonderful Life...

No matter how often you see the movie, "It's A Wonderful Life", you will be entranced. It is flawless, and my all time favorite Christmas movie. It is the kind of experience movies were invented for... 

A kind man, overwhelmed by life's trials, is visited by a heavenly messenger and gains a new lease on life.

George Bailey dreams of seeing the world and having a grand impact on it. But small-town responsibilities strand him at home. The family business struggles to stay afloat, enduring constant attacks by a power-hungry tyrant. Pressures mount until George reaches the breaking point, convinced the world would be better off had he never existed. To show him what that world would've been like, a friendly angel (without wings) escorts George through that same town—now a dark place having never felt his virtuous influence. In the end, George embraces the wonderful life he nearly threw away.

Here are some powerful quotes from "It's A Wonderful Life":

Clarence the angel: “Strange, isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives. When he isn’t around he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?” Every one of us can make a difference in the lives of so many, and that can be for good or for bad. The question is, will we live like Christians and be light to a dark, sin-stained world?

Man on Porch: “Why don’t you kiss her instead of talking her to death?”George Bailey: “You want me to kiss her, huh?” Man on Porch: “Ah, youth is wasted on the wrong people.” Ah, what it feels like to be young and in love! Interestingly, my own love for my husband has only grown stronger through the years! God wants us to rejoice in our spouse and be passionately in love with him or her. Solomon, as if almost wanting us to celebrate this, wrote “Let your fountain be blessed, and rejoice in the wife of your youth” but know this; youth will pass, but love will remain.

George: "Look, who are you? Who are you really?"
Clarence: "I told you, George. I'm your guardian angel." George: "Well, you look about the kind of angel I'd get. Sort of a fallen angel, aren't you? What happened to your wings?" Clarence: "I haven't won my wings, yet. That's why I'm called an Angel Second Class. I have to earn them. And you'll help me will you?" George Bailey: [sarcastic] "Sure, sure. How?" Clarence: "By letting me help you." George Bailey: "I know one way you can help me. You don't happen to have 8,000 bucks on you?" Clarence: "No, we don't use money in Heaven." George Bailey: "Well, it comes in real handy down here, bud!" The lesson here is that God often sends us someone that we aren't looking for, and often uses ways we don't understand to help us. Trust God anyway.

Clarence the angel: “You see, George, you’ve really had a wonderful life. Don’t you see what a mistake it would be to throw it all away?” Where God intends as a comma in our life, we cannot make it a period. Suffering is never wasted, but used for God’s glory and other’s good. Your life is not and never will be a mistake!

George Bailey: Dear Father in heaven, I’m not a praying man, but if you’re up there and you can hear me, show me the way…show me the way.” What a humble prayer and we know that God will give His grace to the humble and that He will answer when we call out to Him.

Clarence the angel: “Every man on that transport died. Harry wasn’t there to save them, because you weren’t there to save Harry.” - This was Clarence telling George Bailey why his brother Harry’s gravestone was there in the cemetery, meaning that Harry died since George wasn’t on the ice that day to jump in and save him. This shows us that every life matters. God never creates anything without a purpose, as even the heavens declare His glory.

George Bailey: “Isn’t it wonderful!? I’m going to jail!” It’s almost as if everything that’s going to happen or has already happened to George is going to work out for his ultimate best. When George is given a second change, he has returned to his “wonderful life” and nothing’s going to dampen his enthusiasm in life, even if it means he’s going to jail.

Pa Bailey: “All you can take with you is that which you’ve given away.” This is where the wisdom, experience, and values of an obviously godly man, Pa Bailey, shows itself clearly. Only those things done for Christ and for His glory, will endure forever. You can’t take it with you but you can certainly send it ahead and have it waiting for you when you use your time, talents, and treasure for the kingdom of God and for the glory of Jesus Christ. 

Harry Bailey: "A toast to my big brother George: The richest man in town." Having peace and being surrounded by people that love you, is priceless. And having the hope of heaven, indeed makes us the richest person around!

Too often, we can get caught up with all the ends and outs of daily life, and its easy to get depressed, and think that we have no purpose, or that the world would be a better place with out us.... but “It’s a Wonderful Life” puts it all back into perspective. It shows us human nature in the bitter Mr. Potter; the tight-fisted, money grabbing man, who is only interested in money and not in people, but George sees what is most important, and most precious, and it’s certainly not in money, or in possessions. Our happiness is in God and we find our greatest joys is serving others for Christ. It really is a Wonderful Life that we have been blessed to be living!