What Would Life Be Like If You Never Existed

Sometimes life’s hard blows seem to never end. Even when you keep pushing forward, the blows feel harder. That’s what happened to George Bailey in the movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life” starring Jimmy Stewart. Although the movie was produced in 1946, the message is timeless.

George reached a point of severe depression and felt things would have been better if he was never born. He decides to end his life. As George leans over the railing of a steep bridge, another man suddenly plunges into the river and screams ‘save me!’ Then George leaps in and rescues him.  He learns this man is his guardian angel and was sent from heaven to show George why he was born.

First, they visit the cemetery where he views his brother’s gravestone. “That’s impossible because my brother is alive.” The angel reminds him, “Since you were never born, you were not there to save him from drowning when he was nine.” Next, when George was twelve, he worked at a drug store. George recalls seeing the grieving druggist mistakenly compound rat poison in place of the right substance.  George saves him from making a deadly error by not delivering the compound to a sick child.  However, since George was never born, the story ended differently.  The druggist spent twenty years in jail for this medical error. Then, they visit the library where the lady who would have been his wife worked. Because you were never born, she became a lonely maiden, and their four beautiful children were never born.  Georges’ perspective on life changes 100 percent. He realizes and is grateful for his wonderful life along with its value on so many people.

Every person on this earth exists because of their value and worth to God. We were all miraculously conceived when one sperm (one of 150 million) from the father successfully fertilized one egg from the mother. If any other sperm had made the connection with mother’s egg, you would not exist. 

While we might feel sometimes that our life seems worthless, we are all making huge differences.  Just like George, most acts of kindness happen spontaneously and slip from our memory. To be sure, God remembers. Good work increases exponentially. When we help others, that act empowers them to do the same, from saving a life, encouraging the disheartened; feeding the hungry; attending the sick, helping those incarcerated. The list goes on and on.

If we could take a tour of our life’s journey, we’d be amazed at the many differences we’ve already made in the lives of others.  To be sure, life will always be full of challenges. Jesus says, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33 NIV). God knows why each of us was born.  We have a specific mission on this earth that only we can fill. If we don’t do it, it will not get done. 

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