the dollar menu

It's a Wonderful Life. Have you seen this movie? My family watches this movie every Christmas Eve, so I've seen it roughly 25 Plus times. However, I watched it last week at Labri and walked away amazed at it and loving it even more. If you haven't seen the movie, this is what you need to know. There is a man who never gets to live his dream of traveling the world and doing something big. He is stuck working at family business in savings and loans. He works long hours, doesn't get paid well, and is stuck in his place in life that he really despises. Something happens at his work and he could go to jail for something he didn't do. He wishes he had never been born and BAM wish comes true and he sees what life would've been like without him.  After this experience and when he comes back to reality he is a new man, who has such a love and joy for his life and no longer despises it.

Value. How do we define what is a valuable life? How do we define a good person? A valuable person? So often when we are asked who we are, we are actually asked the question "what do you do". Whatever we do for a living defines our entire being. It puts a value mark on our life. If answered that I was homeless a high percentage of people would see me as less worthy or less valuable. If I was a president of a business I would have respect and more worth, people would instantly believe the words that came out of my mouth as true but if I was homeless my words would probably have less meaning. 

In some societies, men are more valuable than women, the elderly are highly esteemed, cows may have more value than people. Value is everywhere.

What happened to ordinary? George Bailey (in the movie) is an ordinary man that a lot us could probably see parts of ourselves in.  I love this movie because the message is clear and powerful. Ordinary people have value, bring change into the lives around them and are extremely important. But I want to take it a step farther. What does it mean to exist and how is that connected to value? The more I think about it, the pure fact of existing brings every single person the highest value possible- being in the image of God.  If I really believe in God and in His Word then each person has immeasurable value and worth, regardless of their sex, their job, their looks, their money situation, their success in life etc etc.  In C.S. Lewis' essay "The Weight of Glory" he talks about how each person has the glory of God in them and if I died as a homeless person and came back to people on earth, people would want to worship me because the glory I possess would be so overpowering.  As humans we are created in the image of our creator, how crazy is that? It's crazy. But its also so amazing. Imagine, the creator of the universe making you and me in his image. Why? Why would he do that? Why would he give us that honor? Love...and value.  He loves and values us that much that he would create us in His holy image.  However its also a hard truth to come to terms with- realizing my life (no matter how simple or extravagant) is just as important as anyone else and how we treat one another is even more important. The idea "love your neighbor as yourself" continues to hit home more and more. Lewis says "your neighbor is the holiest object presented to your senses" ..To love that person, means to see them as valuable and worthy....no matter who they are. 

To love your neighbor as yourself....How do I want to be loved ? Well I feel loved when I am heard when I speak, when Im noticed and not ignored,  that I have value in other's eyes, when I am provided for with food and shelter,  when i get a chance to relax and rest,..there are so many ways I feel loved by other people and by God. And so does every other person around me. And when I start seeing the list of things that I want or the ways in which I feel loved, I realize again that I am not the only person in the world. that the people around me also want some of the same things and possibly even different things and that no matter who a person is, whether a famous one or a destitute one, they are all deserving of love, they are all valuable and "ordinary", who are also great in the eyes of God. 

When I think about it this way I am in shock (actually prolly not THAT surprised if i think about it) of how selfish I am. Of how picky I am with my love and how often i make value judgments without even realizing it. Wow does grace make more and more sense to me and wow do i see how much I dont deserve but am able to because of God's love.

I have a long road, but in some ways, maybe I had my George Bailey moment.....seeing each person as valuable for a brief moment..and now i too can look at life with new eyes, with joy..knowing that me..and you..each have so much value......and even more so....value in the small things!