I love the film
“It’s A Wonderful Life”
I cry every time the angels say
“Is he sick?”

“No, worse, he’s discouraged.”

If you haven’t faced this kind of despair in your life, perhaps you are too young or lucky.

Money amounts are mentioned throughout the film, but how can we feel the gravity or joy when we don’t know today’s equivalent?

Early in the film,in 1919, George is 12 and says “I wish I had a million dollars!”

That’s $14 million today!

When he gets married and Mary offers their $2,000 honeymoon money, how much are they sacrificing? It’s 1932,and with a run on the bank,

that’s $35,000!

Around 1933, they are living in the old house and Mary is going to have baby #1. George sees his wife sleeping on a small bed and wants more material things for her. She just wants him. Potter offers George a job paying $20,000 with trips etc.

That’s $335,000 today! Wow!

George says “no” and calls Potter a spider: “Do you KNOW how long it takes a man to save $5,000 (for a house)?”

$91,000?!

Fast forward to 1945 and George and Mary have 4 kids. Uncle Billy absentmindedly puts the $8,000 building and loan deposit inside a newspaper that’s handed to Potter.

Can you imagine how sick you would feel misplacing $100,000 in today’s money?

George’s plan was $14Million and traveling.

God had other plans for him.

At the end of the film, the money begins pouring in from friends and family who George and Mary helped:

($2,000)
$27,000 at least in repayment from the townspeople.

($25,000) $328,000 from Sam Wainright.

Maybe not $14million and lots of trips but the best gifts of all:

If you are truly lucky, God will tap your shoulder in your lifetime to not only do His work his way and be a steward of His money, he will also give you the gift of knowing what the world would have been like without you.