It’s a “Wonderful” Christmas Movie!
A few years ago, Steven Hartman, a journalist with ScreenRant wrote an article exploring the “Psychology Behind Our Obsession with Christmas Movies.” “Why is it,” asks Hartman, “that most Americans will watch at least one Christmas movie this season.” His conclusion is that we do it for the sappiness, the nostalgic memories and for the chance to escape. That analysis seems accurate for most Christmas movies but I don’t think it fits my favorite Christmas movie: It’s A Wonderful Life.
Rather than offering an escape from the world’s injustice and brokenness, It’s A Wonderful Life compels viewers to confront these harsh realities alongside George Bailey. When his Uncle Billy loses a large sum of money the Building and Loan faces insolvency. George, who has sacrificed his own dreams for the sake of Bedford Falls, becomes overwhelmed by shame and desperation. He even contemplates ending his life.
How did he get here?
Years earlier the board of the Building and Loan insisted they would only remain open if George ran it. In truth, George admired the noble mission of the Building and Loan to:
“Satisfy a fundamental urge … deep in the race for a man to … own roof and walls and fireplace, and we’re helping him get those things in our shabby little office.”
Young George admired his Dad’s mission but he had other ambitions. As a young man his dream was to see the world. He didn’t want to be tied down. His favorite sounds were “anchor chains, plane motors and train whistles.” All the sounds associated with embarking on an escape to faraway places. But George rarely hears any of these sounds because he is cooped up at the Building and Loan. The bitterness George feels on the bridge stems from the fact that he made significant sacrifices for his Dad’s dream, a dream that was not his in the first place but now appears to be ruining his life.
Perhaps the biggest sacrifice George made came on the day of his honeymoon. George and his new bride Mary appear ready to embark on a month of world travel. They have lots of cash on hand, about $27,000 in today’s currency, to do it. But George and Mary also have the unfortunate circumstance of leaving on their honeymoon just as the Great Depression hits. As they leave Bedford Falls they see a run on the bank and on the Building and Loan and they turn around to stop it. People are pulling their money out of the Building and Loan due to panic and fear. To stop it, Mary proposes to loan people their honeymoon money. It works! It keeps the Building and Loan afloat and over the next fifteen years more working class people were able to own homes due to George’s sacrifice.
This sort of helpfulness is what the Bible calls righteousness. We tend to think of righteousness in terms of self righteousness, the sour and irritable spirit that grimaces at other people’s sin and sometimes even at simple joy. The self righteous feel superior and end up pushing others away. But this is not biblical righteousness. Biblical righteousness blesses others, strengthens community and brings joy. It majors in building up rather than tearing down.
That’s why Proverbs says:
“When the righteous prosper, the city rejoices;
When the wicked perish, there are shouts of joy.
Through the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,
But by the mouth of the wicked it is destroyed.”
– Proverbs 11:10-11
Conservative Bible teacher Bruce Waltke defines the righteous as those who sacrifice themselves to build up their community and the wicked as those who sacrifice their community to build up themselves. In that way the righteous look like George and Mary Bailey and the wicked look like Mr Potter. Scripture also shows that God arranges to bless those who pursue righteousness, since He has designed this world to bless the blesser and to help those who habitually help others. Yet we remember that only Christ makes us righteous and teaches us to bless others in His name.
As Proverbs 11:8 says,
“The righteous person is rescued from trouble,
And it falls on the wicked instead.”
We see this occur at the end of It’s A Wonderful Life.
Mary spreads the word that George is in trouble. Prayers immediately rise up to heaven and resources immediately start pouring into the Bailey kitchen. Thousands of dollars come in to help George. He is rescued from trouble. The Building and Loan is saved and the whole of Bedford Falls rejoices.
At the very end of the movie, George’s brother Harry comes back from the war. He sees the generous gifts and decides that this calls for a toast.
“A toast to my big brother George. The richest man in town!”
It’s A Wonderful Life will not help you escape the gritty difficulties of this world. It will help you embrace the wonderful promises God gives us so we can walk the righteous path in such a world through Christ who makes us righteous.
In the Sunday service, we celebrated that the coming of Christ means God “has come to help His people.” (Luke 7:16) This means He hears our cries when we are in trouble and He helps us. It also means He turns us into a community of righteous helpers who serve like George and Mary Bailey.
So this Christmas season as you watch Elf, The Christmas Story, and Home Alone, go ahead and enjoy them to escape the difficulties of this world. But watch It’s A Wonderful Life to see a fine example of how God helps His righteous helpers. Watch it to see how gospel righteousness blesses Bedford Falls so that everyone celebrates with songs, toasts, ringing bells and laughter all around!
Pastor Rob Byker
Senior Pastor
Images from Wallpapers.com
