I Have the Best Church Ever

Every year I watch “It’s a Wonderful Life” at Christmas.

And every year I cry.

You see, at the end of that movie there’s a scene where the whole town comes out to help George Baily.  They know that he is in trouble, the Building and Loan he manages has misplaced $8,000 and George is prison bound.  His wife, Mary, rallies the townspeople to help.  They quickly raise more than enough to pay the debt and give George and Mary a very merry Christmas.  And it was his life, the impact he made on others, that made them want to help him when he was in need.

And so this Christmas, like I always do, I watched “It’s a Wonderful Life”

And this Christmas, like I always do, I cried at the film’s final scene.

But this year I cried a little bit extra.

The reason I cry is not because of the scene itself, it’s the desire that I would live a life like that.  That I would make an impact in other people’s lives, however small, that they might be stirred to action if I needed them.

And this year I did.

My in-laws were in a car accident on their way to visit us, and they have been here recovering for over two weeks.  My mother-in-law had such a severe head wound that two surgeries were required, one has happened and another is pending.  And while they both have good jobs, neither one has any kind of medical insurance.  Our family needed help.

And our extended family, our church, rushed into action.  They were able to meet physical, emotional, and financial needs in our time of crisis.  They were there to offer support, meals, and even money to help get my in-laws through this difficult time.  Our family will be forever grateful to our church.

So as I watched that scene this year, I knew that my wife and I were loved and cared for.  I knew that our lives made a difference to someone else’s because so many others were willing to make a difference in ours.

Thank you, and may God bless us all this New Year!