Most of us have seen the movie “It’s a wonderful life!” with actor Jimmy Stewart. The main character he plays, George Bailey, got a chance to see what his family and his town would have been like if he had never been born.
And George is amazed at how significantly his life positively affected so many people… his family, his town, and even his world. For instance, if he had never been born, he would not have saved his brother from drowning as a young boy, and his brother would have never grown up to be a war hero during World War 2.
It’s like what you may have heard of, as the butterfly effect. That if even the smallest of changes occur, that change causes other changes, and over time those changes build up cumulatively, and have enormous unpredictable effects in the long-term outcome.
And if George had not been born, it would have resulted in a world that looked dramatically different over time, because of losing his presence. His loss in the world, had huge detrimental consequences in the lives of many people.
What if Jesus had never been born?
Just like with George Bailey, the biggest loss if Jesus had never been born, would be His Presence. His name, Immanual, means God With Us. His birth was the first time in history that God came down in human form, to live among the human race.
In Judaism, God interacted with people through covenants, prophets, and even His presence in the Temple, but without incarnation. In Islam, God interacted through a prophet, but without incarnation. In Hinduism and even ancient mythologies, they speak of divine manifestations of their gods coming to earth in some form and interacted with humans in some manner.
But only in the incarnation of Jesus Christ, do we see God taking human form, becoming fully human, as a historical figure in the human race.
And even after Jesus’ physical time on earth ended, He sent the Holy Spirit to live within his followers.
Because Jesus was born, we have the presence of God with us permanently. Not a distant relationship where God is in heaven, and we are on earth. But the indwelling presence of God, with us always… just like how our shadow is always there with us. And with us, He is our Comforter, our Guide, our Friend… through all we encounter during every step of our life.
Not only is He with us. but because Jesus was born…. we now know that God truly “understands us”. As human, Jesus was tempted in every way, just as we are. Therefore, we know He understands the pressures we face, the struggles we face, the chaos we face. He is a friend who shows us mercy, and grace, to help us in our times of need.
I don’t know about you, but when I look back at my life over the last decades since I became a believer in Jesus Christ… I see His presence with me, and helping me, again and again and again. There is a Proverb that says “There’s a friend who sticks closer than a brother” An exceptionally loyal, trustworthy, and supportive friend, who offers unwavering commitment to you. And that friend is Jesus Christ. You will never have a friend as committed to you and who knows you so well, as Jesus Christ.
If Jesus had never been born, we would not have had the presence of God with us. I could not imagine living life without Jesus’ presence!