Are you Feeling Like George Bailey? Insignificant?

Jimmy Stewart almost didn’t take the role of George Bailey in “It’s a Wonderful Life.” At the time he was feeling significantly insignificant.

Does that describe you?

Christmas carols fill the air and Christmas lights twinkle around us. Yet there are many struggling—especially now at Christmas. Those who have an empty chair at the table this year. Or struggling to put food on the table and keep their house warm. Are you wishing for a wonderful life and a wonderful Christmas but feel it has become an elusive dream filled with disappointment?

Do you feel like George Bailey? Insignificant?

Do you feel life hasn’t gone the way you had hoped and are still searching for a place of significance?

Satan whispers to you in the night that your life doesn’t matter. Perhaps people you love and trust have spoken cruel words that leave you believing you don’t matter.

Jimmy Stewart, who played George Bailey in the classic Christmas show “It’s a Wonderful Life” wasn’t having such a wonderful life when that role was offered to him.

After five years in the military, he was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD.) The man he was when he entered the war, was not the same man who returned to Hollywood.

When that role was offered to him, he was struggling for peace and significance. Hollywood wasn’t welcoming him back with open arms.

They had moved on.

In his biography, Robert Matzen wrote that Stewart was actually hesitant to take the role of George Bailey. But since he wasn’t getting other offers for roles he took it.

Perhaps it was a God set up.

As the movie unfolded, Stewart later revealed that it became therapeutic for him and brought healing from the trauma of war.

The scene in the movie where George Bailey prays a desperate prayer was said to be so authentic and the tears from Stewart so real, that it was done in one take.

That movie not only brought healing for Stewart, but it continues to speak to people every year as a beacon of hope that their life has meaning.

Perhaps it is not just circumstances that have left you feeling insignificant, but words from family and friends.

Consider in biblical days how David’s own father was an instrument Satan used to try to defer David’s hopes and dreams with disappointment and discouragement. His father, Jesse referred to David as “significantly insignificant.”

In I Samuel 16, the Lord sent Samuel (the priest) to Bethlehem to offer a sacrifice and anoint a new king. As is typical for God, He chose someone from a least likely place.

God specifically instructed Samuel to choose only whom He chose. He knew that if left to Samuel, it would be too easy to choose based on outward appearance (I Sam 16:7).

Have you been a victim of that as well? Where you have been passed you by for promotion in favor of someone who “looked” the part.

You can imagine as Jesse’s chest puffed out in pride as he watched his good-looking sons parade past Samuel. We are told even Samuel was impressed by first-born Eliab.

But after the priest observed all of Jesse’s sons, God remained silent. None Jesse had presented to Samuel were to be anointed as king.

It is perplexing that in such a prestigious moment, when Jesse and his household were invited to this important event, that Jesse left David out. It is quite telling. Based on historical accounts, some believe David was an illegitimate son.

What we certainly know is Jesse did not hold him in a place of honor and didn’t consider him significant enough to attend the event with the high priest.

Although Jesse overlooked his son, God saw him and the authenticity of his heart.

And where people may have overlooked you, remember God still looks on the heart and He sees you.

When Samuel asked, “Is there another?” Jesse’s words revealed much, “There remains yet the youngest.”

The word “youngest” in that verse is the Hebrew word “qatan” which can be translated not only as youngest in age, but also one of least importance. Or the “lesser” one.”

Satan will always try to use people and words to destroy our hope and feeling of significance.

David wasn’t invited to the “party”, but left to tend the sheep. Perhaps you weren’t invited to a family event, an important party and left feeling significantly insignificant as a result that you were “lesser.”

Remember, Satan wants to destroy our hope and significance to keep us from our destiny.

Your life is significant.

You are touching more people than you realize. Satan would like nothing more than to make you believe that you are significantly insignificant. But just as God had a divine setup to raise up David. Just as he had a divine setup for Jimmy Stewart in the role of George Bailey.

God has a divine setup for you. What He does for one, He will do fall all if we simply keep our eyes on Him.

God is in the business of restoring those called “significantly insignificant” to significance. He desires that you walk in your place of destiny.

If God can do it for David. If He can do that for a movie actor, certainly he can do it for you. Take a moment and consider that it is a wonderful life and that God sees your heart even if others don’t.

Where life has thrown you some curves, it is not too difficult for God to still raise you up and restore your hopes and dreams to your place of destiny and significance—to a wonderful life.