A WORLD WITHOUT…

(Post by: Colton) Blogmas Day Twenty-Seven 2024

On Christmas Eve, I had the opportunity to watch the movie “It’s A Wonderful Life” for the second time. Messages in movies don’t usually stand out to me all that much, but this one particular message in this movie screamed at me.

It’s the scene when George Bailey, the main character, is considering taking his own life and an angel, Clarence, comes and saves him. George then precedes to tell Clarence that he wishes he “hadn’t been born” and that “the world would be better if he hadn’t been born.”

Clarence, the angel, does exactly that. He makes the world as if George Bailey had never been born. 

The movie continues as George and Clarence visit many of the people George knows, and not a single person recognizes him. The town where George grew up, Bedford Falls, has completely changed from being a quiet little town to a booming tourist attraction with bars on top of bars, casinos, and more. His business is gone, his house is gone, and his own wife has no idea who he is. 

Clarence shows George exactly what he wished for. A world without himself and how it would be completely different if he hadn’t made the little impacts he had. This scene had my mind racing. Especially when Clarence said, “A world without George Bailey.” 

What about a world without you? Try this one, “A world without Jesus.” Imagine that with me for a second. Our world without the Savior. Our daily lives would be filled with chaos and destruction. We would see shootings and massacres on the news on a daily basis. Same sex marriage would be the norm, and sex changes would be taught in our schools.

A world without Jesus would be a world run by the devil. We would never have peace and would always be looking for war. Money would rule everything, and men would be weak. We would have boys in girls’ sports and men in women’s bathrooms. Men would be demoralized and women would be degraded. 

You might be thinking, “We do have a world without Jesus because all of those things are happening now.” But in a world completely without Jesus there would be no good in the world. No hope, no joy, no love. We have an amazing opportunity every day to show people that Jesus was given to us freely and willingly.

Through Jesus our world has hope, joy, love, and though it may not seem like it at times, this world is full of Jesus. It’s so easy to look around at the world and be discouraged. But Christmas shows us that there is hope in this world. A Savior was born, died, and then resurrected for each one of us. Without this hope there is only pain. 

A world with Jesus means there is still good in this crazy and lost world. For instance, look at the hurricanes we have had this past year. People from across the nation found ways to help those who were broken and hurting. We even know of people who shut their companies down, took trailers full of heavy equipment, food, and water to help people they didn’t even know.

The world sees this as an act of kindness. But I see it as an act of God Himself. Without Jesus, there would be no conviction to go help those folks. No desire to see someone’s life be rebuilt.

In a world without Jesus, we would see no movement at all. All those people would be left to starve, freeze, and die. You can think I’m crazy, but the only reason there is any good in this world is because of Jesus and His presence which constantly surrounds us, even people that don’t know Him. 

Christmas may be over, but we have been reminded once again of our calling. To be that hope that Jesus showed us how to be. To be joyful in a world so sad. To be the love that people seek. To be the light that can never be dimmed.

The world is not without. The world has a Savior that has been freely given and offered to it.

Don’t choose to live in the world without Jesus. He has always been and always will be. No matter how dark it may get, Jesus is the light we need. 

What would your world look like without you?

What would your world look like without Jesus?

“I tell you, whoever publicly acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God.” (Luke 12:8)