It’s a Wonderful Life with Paul McDonald and Britt Mooney
Paul McDonald and Britt Mooney celebrate Christmas with George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life. If you want to help a man, you’ll want to know something about him. George is invited into his father’s purpose, but is offered permission to choose his path. Thankfully, he had Mary as a partner to see the potential and live the adventure with him. Grab your egg nog, and let’s discover God’s truth in this movie.
Quotes
The perfect Christmas never looks like we thought it would.
“If you want to help a man, you’ll want to know something about him.”
George continues to save other people at a great cost to himself.
George was so discouraged he was about to give up before realizing the wealth he really had.
He thinks all he gets is hardship for doing the right thing.
Relationships are wealth.
His father knew what was really important—giving dignity and respect to the people in his community.
God will call you to a purpose, but He won’t force you to a purpose.
When you live according to “have to,” it’ll eat you alive.
The Kingdom of God is not about coercion. It’s about love, and it cannot be a Kingdom of love if you have been manipulated, coerced, or forced into it.
George was given somebody (Mary) to help him fulfill his purpose as a partner in the purpose.
George’s isolation was self-imposed.
We think that when we’re doing God’s will and God’s purpose the sea parts and it’s easy to walk across. But it’s hard and it’s painful and there’s questions and doubts. But we have the promise of God’s presence. And the purpose is worth the pain.
The Bible promises tough times. But would you rather go through them with God, or go through them without God?
The core we should call people to is love. The other stuff will come.
“All that you can take with you is that which you have given away.”
Wealth is the accumulation of things that money cannot buy.
Themes
George lives a life that seems to be derailed and stuck.
We think of the holiday season as a happy time, but the suicide rate and depression escalate this time of year.
The holiday season puts a great deal of pressure to be perfect.
Life interrupted. Over and over, George saves someone else, but at a cost to himself. He had spent his whole life saving others, but who was there to save him? His sacrifices were so that others could live.
George was about to give up right before everything came together.
George minimized his own impact and relationships. He saw other people doing important things, but felt invisible, unappreciated.
Wealth has nothing to do with the amount in our bank account.
George’s frustration came from feeling like he was behind all of his friends, he was being left behind.
We have permission to pursue our dreams, God doesn’t force us to do anything. The Father calls, but gives us permission to choose. His call is what will satisfy our hearts. Walking in the Father’s purpose is hard, and we can feel unappreciated and invisible.
The idea of “have to” vs. “get to” – You don’t “have to” read, you “get to” read (or fill in your own “have to”).
Mary’s character—dreamer, sees the truth, willing to go on an adventure as long as she’s with George, pursues his heart.
George’s decisions were guided by a desire to protect people from oppression and protect his father’s legacy.
Resources
“Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.” -Matthey 19:27-29 (ESV)
“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” - Matthew 6:19-21 (NLT)
“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.” - Matthew 16:24-27 (NIV)
Questions
What are some of your family Christmas traditions?
If you could only pick one Christmas movie to watch each year, which one would it be?
What is true wealth?
If zero is “Silent Night” and ten is Clark Griswold punting lawn ornaments, how stressful is your holiday season?
How do you minimize your impact on the world around you?
What is real about your life?
What is wealth? How would you define it?
Where do you feel like you’re behind? Marriage? Kids? Job? House? Yardwork?
Where has life been tough? How has God been present?
What do you have that can’t be taken away?
What are you spending your life pursuing, building, chasing?