Real Wealth
“No man is poor, if he has friends,” so wrote the fictitious Clarence, the “near-angel” of It’s a Wonderful Life. The movie was released in 1946, and it tells the fictitious story of George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) and his wife, Mary (Donna Reed). George operated a savings and loan operation, to help people whom he had befriended over the years.
The lending institution was threatened with insolvency, when his Uncle Billy had misplaced a key deposit. Henry Potter, the operator of a rival bank, dedicated to putting George’s operation out of business, found the deposit, and he kept it. Mr. Potter suggested that George was worth more dead than alive, and George began to believe it. He believed that everybody would have been better off, if he had never lived. Clarence, the near-angel, granted his wish, at least for awhile.
George was allowed to see how his friendship and sacrifice for others was critical to their survival, and how the companionship of his grateful friends had blessed his life beyond measure. While George was going through the despondency of his wished-for life without friends, his friends had gotten word of the impending insolvency of the savings and loan.
George was ready to again jump off of the snowy bridge (the opening scene of the movie), when a policeman recognized him; his old, real life had come back, again, thanks to Clarence.
George was taken to his house, where his wife and children happily met him, and as his friends began arriving at his house, with grateful contributions that more than made up for the lost money, and heartfelt good wishes for George and his family.
Mary handed a note to George, amidst the happy, holiday crowd with the above opening line written in it. George knew its author. His happy little daughter, whom he nicknamed “Ginger Snap,” noticed a tiny bell ornament ringing on their Christmas tree, and noted “Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings.”
Clarence had done his divine job. He had shown the value of friends in one’s life. George was wealthy in what really mattered: love, expressed through friendship.
“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (I Jn. 4:10) God’s friendship with mankind is beyond words! Invite your friend to worship God with you. It may be a day your friend will remember for eternity!
Friend Day is October 12th!
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