Conducting your affairs with justice

Psalm 112:5 New International Version (NIV)

5 Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice.

God tells us to be generous and lend freely, but we are to do so as stewards of God’s money. For everything we have is of God and therefore we should treat it as God’s money.

The classic film It's a Wonderful Life celebrates the significance of one man's contribution to his community. George Bailey (played by James Stewart) consistently demonstrates self-denial and generosity. A proprietor of a loan institution, George helps families through tough Depression-era times.

Bailey's Building and Loan is put in jeopardy by George's uncle, who misplaces $8,000, and George realizes he could go to jail. He wishes he'd never been born. But Clarence Oddbody, an angel dispatched from heaven, shows George what the world would have been like had he never been born.

Early in the movie, George marries his sweetheart, Mary, on Black Tuesday in October 1929. The stock market has just collapsed. En route to the train station, the cab driver calls attention to a crowd clamoring for their money at the Bedford Falls Bank. Fearing a similar scene at the family business, George asks to stop by the Bailey Building and Loan.

George jumps out of the cab and finds a crowd of people waiting at a locked door. The stock market collapse has motivated his clients to try and withdraw their money. Though perplexed about what to do, George opens the door and lets in his friends, who demand their money at once. George attempts to calm the crowd, all the while knowing he doesn't have sufficient cash on hand to honor everyone's request.

George tries to calm the crowd, saying, "We can get through this thing all right. We've got to stick together, though. We've got to have faith in each other."

An elderly woman responds, "But my husband hasn't worked in over a year. I need money."

Just in time, George's new bride has an idea. Retrieving the honeymoon nest egg from her purse, she holds up the money and asks, "How much do you need?"

Immediately, George announces, "I've got $2,000. This should tide us over."

One man insists on withdrawing all $200 from his account. George pleads with him not to be greedy, so the money will go further. Several others ask for more modest amounts. As the time approaches 6 o'clock, George and Uncle Billy count down the waning moments that will close out the business day. "5…4…3…2…1…Bingo!"

Uncle Billy beams, "We're going to make it, George. They'll never close us up today."

[It's a Wonderful Life, (RKO Radio Pictures, 1946), rated G, written by Philip Van Doren Stern, directed by Frank Capra; submitted by Greg Asimakoupoulos, Naperville, Illinois]