It had a massively profound effect on my life.
I must have been five or six the first time I saw it. Of course, I saw the Disney version, where Mickey Mouse was Bob Cratchett and Goofy was Jacob Marley. It’s a simple story, but there’s a reason why it stands the test of time so well.
Did you ever see The Wizard of Oz? How about It’s A Wonderful Life? I read the entire set of Oz books, there are about twelve. The Wizard is just the first one. The story goes on and on and on, and the characters just get better and more zany. I have not seen It’s A Wonderful Life all the way through. In fact, I have never seen an entire Jimmy Stewart movie, even though there are several. What’s the difference between It’s A Wonderful Life and A Christmas Carol? Not much.
The lesson is not used enough today. As American drowns in its own sea of affluenza (the disease of cherishing stuff and money), the world is not getting enough exposure to the reminder that money does not create happiness. In fact, money does one thing, and one thing alone….it emphasizes the kind of person you already are. If you are generous when you are poor….you’ll probably give away millions if you’re rich. If you are motivated to work and work and work….when you are rich you’ll work even harder. Do you know why Jesus works especially hard to promote relationships with God and Godly people….and sinners…over money? It’s more important.
I grew up in a household where my dad was an attorney and my mom was somewhat of an heiress. We were not swimming in money, but I never had to question if there would be enough to eat. I enjoyed the support of going to a private school, and we got to vacation here and there. The whole time I felt like I was an outsider looking in.
As poor people began to show themselves over the years, I started recognizing a few things. For one….poverty was an equal opportunity curse. It could hit the rich as well as the poor. It did not care what color or age you were. Another thing I noticed was that my life was centered on an internal argument. When I was a kid I had become convinced that poor people created their own problems. However, after walking around for a few decades, I discovered that was not always true.
I created a system for raising people out of poverty. But how many people do you think take advantage of it? Absolutely no one. Not only can I help get you off the street and into a home and job, but I can make you a genuinely happy person. How many people are beating down my door? Almost nobody.
The trick to helping the world is to give them exactly what they need….and then convince them they did it themselves. But you know what? None of it arrives without some help from our Lord Jesus.
Next time you pass by a homeless man on the street begging for some quarters, it might be me. How do I repay generous people?
I guess you’ll have to ask Jesus.
I must have been five or six the first time I saw it. Of course, I saw the Disney version, where Mickey Mouse was Bob Cratchett and Goofy was Jacob Marley. It’s a simple story, but there’s a reason why it stands the test of time so well.
Did you ever see The Wizard of Oz? How about It’s A Wonderful Life? I read the entire set of Oz books, there are about twelve. The Wizard is just the first one. The story goes on and on and on, and the characters just get better and more zany. I have not seen It’s A Wonderful Life all the way through. In fact, I have never seen an entire Jimmy Stewart movie, even though there are several. What’s the difference between It’s A Wonderful Life and A Christmas Carol? Not much.
The lesson is not used enough today. As American drowns in its own sea of affluenza (the disease of cherishing stuff and money), the world is not getting enough exposure to the reminder that money does not create happiness. In fact, money does one thing, and one thing alone….it emphasizes the kind of person you already are. If you are generous when you are poor….you’ll probably give away millions if you’re rich. If you are motivated to work and work and work….when you are rich you’ll work even harder. Do you know why Jesus works especially hard to promote relationships with God and Godly people….and sinners…over money? It’s more important.
I grew up in a household where my dad was an attorney and my mom was somewhat of an heiress. We were not swimming in money, but I never had to question if there would be enough to eat. I enjoyed the support of going to a private school, and we got to vacation here and there. The whole time I felt like I was an outsider looking in.
As poor people began to show themselves over the years, I started recognizing a few things. For one….poverty was an equal opportunity curse. It could hit the rich as well as the poor. It did not care what color or age you were. Another thing I noticed was that my life was centered on an internal argument. When I was a kid I had become convinced that poor people created their own problems. However, after walking around for a few decades, I discovered that was not always true.
I created a system for raising people out of poverty. But how many people do you think take advantage of it? Absolutely no one. Not only can I help get you off the street and into a home and job, but I can make you a genuinely happy person. How many people are beating down my door? Almost nobody.
The trick to helping the world is to give them exactly what they need….and then convince them they did it themselves. But you know what? None of it arrives without some help from our Lord Jesus.
Next time you pass by a homeless man on the street begging for some quarters, it might be me. How do I repay generous people?
I guess you’ll have to ask Jesus.