{"id":1850,"date":"2012-12-23T22:38:49","date_gmt":"2012-12-24T05:38:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thegatheringcincinnati.org\/?p=1850"},"modified":"2012-12-23T22:38:49","modified_gmt":"2012-12-24T05:38:49","slug":"december-23-2012-christmas-service-its-a-wonderful-life-holiday-the-power-of-an-underdog","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gnhuu.org\/index.php\/2012\/12\/23\/december-23-2012-christmas-service-its-a-wonderful-life-holiday-the-power-of-an-underdog\/","title":{"rendered":"December 23, 2012, Christmas Service, "It's A Wonderful Life" Holiday: The Power of an Underdog"},"content":{"rendered":"

Message 116, \u201cIt\u2019s A Wonderful Life\u201d Holiday: The Power of an Underdog\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

(c) Doug Slagle, Pastor at the Gathering UCC, All Rights Reserved<\/p>\n

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Watch this film clip prior to listening to the message: Click here.<\/a><\/p>\n

Gathering messages have greater impact when they are heard and not read. \u00a0Please download the message to listen.<\/p>\n\n

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Gathering 2012 Candlelight Christmas Service, 12-23-12<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Over the last two weeks, we\u2019ve looked at this holiday film classic \u201cIt\u2019s A Wonderful Life\u201d from a few different angles.\u00a0 We talked two weeks ago about how the film helps to redefine what is considered to be a family.\u00a0 George Bailey comes to understand that family is not just those who are related to him by marriage or by blood but by affinity, shared experiences and mutual care.\u00a0 Family for George and for us are those whom we rely on in times of trouble – friends, associates, members of one\u2019s faith community and even total strangers.\u00a0 As I said in my message two weeks ago, our real family members are the people in our lives related not by blood but by heart<\/span><\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

And last Sunday, we saw how the film shows us that small acts of kindness or service to others send out waves of influence far into the future – much like ripples created from dropping pebbles into a pond.\u00a0 George discovers in the movie what life would be like had he never been born – how his family, his friends and his community would be far worse if he had never lived – and thus changed through his big and small acts of influence.\u00a0 Our call is to live like George – to do our part by impacting the world for the better, and in our own way acting much like the little \u201cg\u201d gods we were created to be.\u00a0 God is not some outside influence controlling our lives, she or he is us and it is WE who are to work in helping to build a better world.<\/p>\n

And consistent with those two themes from the movie is one from the clip we just saw.\u00a0 Far from being a man of power and wealth, George Bailey is an Everyman.\u00a0 He\u2019s not college educated, rich or from a prestigious family.\u00a0 He\u2019s a little guy who fights passionately for what he believes to be right – to help other average people, to speak against greed and indifference, and to promote opportunity for everyone.<\/p>\n

George Bailey is the classic underdog in life who is up against strong forces of money and influence exemplified by the town tycoon, Henry Potter.\u00a0 What he discovers during the course of the film is that genuine strength comes not from being rich, well-armed or connected to people and positions of power.\u00a0 The paradox of the underdog is that strength comes from weakness, humility, gentleness and concern for others.\u00a0 George is the perfect Christmas hero – an underdog much like the historical person Jesus was – poor, uneducated, from a backward and insignificant town and born to equally poor, young and uneducated parents.\u00a0 Despite his flaws, his weaknesses, and his relative poverty, George discovers the innate power of his ethics, compassion and desire for basic justice.\u00a0 There is strength in weakness.\u00a0 There is power in being an underdog.<\/p>\n

We find hundreds of examples of that fact in history and in popular culture like movies or books.\u00a0 Fictional and mythological underdogs abound.\u00a0 Hollywood loves them.\u00a0 As a few examples for us to consider from fiction and mythology, (show slide) Moses led his people out of slavery and into a promised land – despite his fears and lack of self-confidence.\u00a0 (show slide) The mythical David, as a symbol of the historically oppressed Jewish people, fought and conquered a much stronger Goliath.\u00a0 (show slide)\u00a0 Rocky Balboa is the classic underdog who fought and defeated much stronger boxing opponents.\u00a0 (show slide)\u00a0 Clark Kent is the fictional nerd and underdog whose alter-ego is Superman.\u00a0 (show slide)\u00a0 Captain Underpants is a contemporary cartoon character who, like many nerds and offbeat kids, fights against bullies and adults who taunt them.\u00a0 And, finally, (show slide) Rudolph is a classic fictional underdog – a symbol of those who are different and shunned by others.\u00a0 He nevertheless heroically saves Christmas.<\/p>\n

From the pages of history are many other underdogs who altered the course of human life.\u00a0 (show slide)\u00a0 Gandhi was a man of small stature with unusual ideas about personal habits but who, by his non-violent protests and ideals, defeated the British Empire and forced it out of his native India. (show slide)\u00a0 Nelson Mandela fought white establishment and brought down South Africa\u2019s apartheid system from a prison cell.\u00a0 (show slide)\u00a0 Abraham Lincoln is the archetype of an American underdog hero.\u00a0 Educated by himself and a small town lawyer of no wealth or prestige, Lincoln rose to the Presidency and navigated the nation through its most serious crisis.\u00a0 He had a deep sense of humility and self-effacing charm that acknowledged his underdog status.\u00a0 Once, when accused by an opponent of being two-faced, Lincoln quickly replied, \u201cIf I were two-faced, do you think I would wear the one I have on!?\u201d\u00a0 (show slide)\u00a0 Martin Luther King, Jr.\u00a0 walked in the non-violent footsteps of Jesus and Gandhi to bring down American Jim Crow laws and inspire a nation.<\/p>\n

Each of these fictional and historical underdogs found greatness not in money, status or military conquests but in their commitment to high ideals.\u00a0 They remind us of what we celebrate today – the birthday of a prophet, a teacher, a man of history who has profoundly impacted the world.\u00a0 One who, by his ideals and his teachings, radically influenced the way humanity thinks about violence, forgiveness and concern for fellow humans.<\/p>\n

Whatever our beliefs about the Biblical Christmas story, we cannot ignore its essential message that each of us, in our ordinary or humble ways, can change the world for the better.\u00a0 As arguably the most influential person in human history, Jesus began, lived and ended his life as an underdog.<\/p>\n

Jesus was a nobody who hung out with other so-called nobodies in his society – thieves, prostitutes, fishermen, lepers and women.\u00a0 He was described as ugly, scorned by the elites and a man of sorrow and depression.\u00a0 He did not promote the advantages of money or military might but advocated, instead, virtues of meekness, gentleness, forgiveness and non-violence.\u00a0 Far from being a warrior king of great physical power, he exerted influence through the power of his ideas, his compassion and his humility.\u00a0 Indeed, Christian author Philip Yancey once said that while the world celebrates wealth and influence – the heart of Jesus was with the poor, weak, hungry, sick and outcast.<\/p>\n

We find from the story of Jesus, from fiction and from the examples of history that there is strength in weakness.\u00a0 There is power in being an underdog.\u00a0 There is greatness not in arrogance, but in lowliness, flawed humanity and a humble heart.<\/p>\n

The irony of this fact is that as humans we strive to be strong, powerful and rich.\u00a0 We want to be seen as successful in the game of life – as winners and not losers.\u00a0 Too often, we instinctively celebrate brute strength or great knowledge over thoughtful introspection, war over deliberate negotiation, and ironclad conviction over compromise and cooperation.<\/p>\n

Those who are underdogs, who are considered weak by the world\u2019s standards, they often find their power in the ability to see the potential of others.\u00a0 People who are underdog heroes are not conflicted by their own flaws or diminished by the abilities of others.\u00a0 They offer the kind of grace and confidence to allow others to achieve and succeed according to each person\u2019s individual strengths.\u00a0 Most importantly, underdog heroes have deeply rooted empathy for the struggle of others.\u00a0 Better able than most who enjoy the fruits of wealth, status and success, underdogs understand the difficulties, pain, hard work and perseverance of those who must struggle just to survive.<\/p>\n

And Americans have always loved underdogs.\u00a0 Our nation began as an underdog and we celebrate those who by diligence and effort make their own way in the world.\u00a0 As a nation of underdogs, we also incline to empathy and compassion for people who are equally underdogs.\u00a0 We celebrate, serve and cheer them on.\u00a0 Without making too much of a political comment, our last election was, I believe, decided by this sense of American empathy:\u00a0 Who did most voters believe is an underdog and thus able to identify with and understand their own personal struggles?<\/p>\n

The paradox about ourselves, however, is that as much as we admire strength, we cheer for the underdog.\u00a0 Our need as individuals and as a nation, however, is to learn and adopt the ethics and values of the humble.\u00a0 We need to embrace the irony that there is strength and goodness in weakness.\u00a0 Underdogs are more likely to seek cooperation by promoting the individual strengths of each person.\u00a0 Underdogs are more able to empathize with the weak and powerless by understanding that only when most people have opportunities in life to achieve and thrive, will society as a whole be better off.<\/p>\n

George Bailey did not run a charity that gave out free money nor did he advocate for a government to do the same.\u00a0 He ran a for-profit bank that trusted the implicit goodness of all people to work hard if only they are given a chance – a helping hand up instead of a helping hand out.\u00a0 He challenged Henry Potter for not loaning a taxi driver the money to buy a house because the loan was too small and the risk too great.\u00a0 George\u2019s bank did make that loan, however.\u00a0 As an underdog, George saw in the taxi driver an ordinary Everyman like himself – someone who worked hard, tried to do the right things in life and dreamed like all people to raise a family in a decent and safe home.\u00a0 Customers in his bank, as he said in the clip we just saw, are people with dreams and fears and struggles.\u00a0 They are not cattle or calculations on a ledger sheet for how to amass great wealth.\u00a0 That is a deeply American value.\u00a0 It is a deeply human value.\u00a0 It is an intrinsic value of Christmas and of the historical Jesus.\u00a0 Every human is fearfully and wonderfully made, with dignity and value, and with unique abilities to offer the world.<\/p>\n

This Christmas, let us aspire to our inner underdog.\u00a0 Let us celebrate a culture of humility, gentleness and, indeed, weakness.\u00a0 In doing so, we will find new strength, new abilities and new powers to build a more compassionate world.\u00a0 Out of the tragedy last week in Newtown, Connecticut, we learned even in horrific moments of violence, underdogs have power and strength.\u00a0 A principal who dedicated her life to serving children, physically threw herself at the armed gunman and helped save many young lives, even as she was herself killed.\u00a0 A teacher hurriedly rushed her students into a closet and then lied to the gunman that they were in the cafeteria – even as she too was killed but her students spared.\u00a0 Their names and their legacy of underdog heroism will live far longer than the strutting actions of a gunman who arrogantly sought violence in a false belief it gave him power.<\/p>\n

The film \u201cIt\u2019s A Wonderful Life\u201d shows us the innate strength of an underdog hero like George Bailey.\u00a0 The story of Christmas shows us the power of humility and weakness in a child born in a manger.\u00a0 It shows us the strength of ideals like generosity, care, tolerance, non-violence and forgiveness in the life of that child who grew into a man of no wealth, prestige, beauty or military might.\u00a0 As people with flaws, insecurities, weaknesses, fears and doubts of our own, let us each find our underdog selves.\u00a0\u00a0 True to the life and ethics of Jesus and true to all of history\u2019s underdogs, let us then go out and build a brighter, more peaceful and more joyous world.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

I wish us all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year…<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Message 116, \u201cIt\u2019s A Wonderful Life\u201d Holiday: The Power of an Underdog (c) Doug Slagle, Pastor at the Gathering UCC, All Rights Reserved   Watch this film clip prior to listening to the message: Click here. Gathering messages have greater impact when they are heard and not read. \u00a0Please download the message to listen.   […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1850","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gnhuu.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1850","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gnhuu.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gnhuu.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gnhuu.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gnhuu.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1850"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.gnhuu.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1850\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gnhuu.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1850"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gnhuu.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1850"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gnhuu.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1850"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}