Podcast Episode 125 - What can It's a Wonderful Life teach you about your value
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Do you ever question your worth?
Do you fall into the comparison trap often?
Have you ever felt like giving up? Like maybe it's not worth the hassle or pain?
Today is for you if:
If you desire to realize your true value.
If you're tired of feeling like you don't measure up.
If you're ready to embrace life to the fullest.
We're finishing up our series on what we can learn from classic Christmas movies with one of the originals–It's a Wonderful Life–and what it can teach us about our value.
Now I've gotta say, my favorite version of this is A Very Merry Muppet Christmas, where Kermit gets to see what the Muppets' lives would have been like without him. But since most of you probably haven't seen that one, I'll stick with good ole George Bailey from Bedford Falls.
George's life didn't go anything like he thought it would. He had dreams of traveling, but one thing after another prevented him from leaving Bedford and living his dream.
Poor George hits one disaster after another and comes to the point of wanting to end it all.
"You've been given a great gift. A Chance to see what world would be like without you."
- Clarence Odbody, Angel 2nd class
This leads us to the first lesson we can learn about our value.
1. Your life and your gifts are unique
George looked at everyone's life and longed for a different life. That's called comparison, which robs us of enjoying what we have.
He hit the point of suicide until Clarence Odbody, Angel 2nd class, came to his rescue.
Our life and gifts are different. But when we get caught up in comparing ourselves or our lives with others, we lose our joy and miss out on what we're called to do.
2. You're more valuable than you realize
"Strange isn't it? Each man's (or woman's) life touches so many other lives; when he isn't around he leaves an awful hole."
- Clarence Odbody, Angel 2nd class.
George didn't see his actual value until he saw what life looked like if he'd never been born.
Because he didn’t save his brother’s life, he died and because of that an entire transport ship of soldiers during the war.
Mr. Gower went to jail because he'd switch pills that killed someone because George wasn’t there to stop him.
His wife became a spinster without him.
Uncle Billy went to an insane asylum because the business failed because George never stopped it from happening.
Countless town folks had to crawl on hands and knees to the greedy Mr. Potter instead of George giving them dignity and affordable housing.
But because George did live:
He saved his brother's life which saved an entire transport ship of soldiers during the war.
He prevented Mr. Gower from going to jail because he'd switch pills that would have killed someone.
He saved his "wife" from becoming a spinster.
He saved his Uncle Billy from going to an insane asylum.
He saved countless town folks by helping them get affordable housing and not having to crawl on hands and knees to the greedy Mr. Potter.
George finally saw his value and realized what he would miss out on if he left this world early.
What's your value or worth?
You're God's masterpiece. A masterpiece is an artist's greatest work of art.
Masterpieces are worth what someone is willing to pay for them.
Jesus paid for you with His life.
That's what you're worth–Jesus' life!
Realize you're more valuable than you might think!
3. Treat yourself and your life like a gift
Now George finally realized his value and got a second chance at life. Things turned out pretty awesome for him in the end.
But when I look back at George's life, things could have gone differently. George was a doormat. He only gave out to others and didn't ever stop to care for himself.
If George had cared for himself, he would have actually had more to give to others instead of hitting burnout to the point of wishing he'd never been born.
When we don't care for ourselves and fill up regularly, we risk burnout. We can't give to others what we don't have.
Mark 12:31a NIV
Love your neighbor as yourself.
This scripture shows us that we need to love others as we love ourselves. So we can't love our neighbor if we don't love ourselves enough to care for ourselves.
Yes, care for others, but stop to take care of yourself first. Then you'll have more to give out to others.
If you need more help overcoming what's trying to hold you back from understanding your value, pick up my free resource, Three Habits to Live Fearlessly Free, by clicking here and filling out your name and email.