Do you remember how Clarence got his wings? By saving George Bailey of course! In the classic Christmas movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” when George Bailey couldn’t find the bank money taken by the evil Mr. Potter, George thought his world was crashing down around him and contemplated suicide. Diverted to rescue Clarence from the river, George was given a glimpse of what life would be like if he hadn’t lived. The shock of realizing how much he meant to so many others shook him out of his self-pity and drove him to return and deal with the problem.

But is that what really saved George? Think about the scene when George rushed back into his home and found dozens of people there to help him. The news of his problem had spread and many of the people who had been helped by George and his bank came to his rescue. Whether large or small their gifts demonstrated their gratitude to him for helping them in their time of need. It didn’t take long for the whole sum to be made up as people generously reminded George that they hadn’t forgotten what he did for them.

Gratitude will make folk do some strange things; wonderful things. At the end of King Saul’s life his body was hung on the side of a Philistine city wall to display their victory over Israel (1 Samuel 31:8-10). Decades earlier, Saul’s first act as king was to rescue the city of Jabesh-gilead from the Ammonites (1 Samuel 11). The people of Jabesh-gilead remembered what Saul had done for them and refused to let this dishonor stand. So they marched through the night, took the body down, and disposed of it with dignity.

“Now when the inhabitants of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, all the valiant men got up and walked all night, and they took the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons from the wall of Beth-shan, and they came to Jabesh and burned them there. And they took their bones and buried them under the tamarisk tree in Jabesh, and fasted for seven days.” (1 Sam 31:11-13). In their gratitude they were willing to risk their very lives to honor Saul in his death.

What about us? Jesus left heaven, took on flesh, lived in the stench and squalor of earth, and then marched through death to break down the gates of hell to rescue us from the power of Satan. What will you do in gratitude? Seriously, what are we willing to risk in our gratitude for Jesus giving His life to save us? If we’re honest would we be put to shame by the simple act of honor the men of Jabesh-gilead showed Saul? Are we willing to be honest? Are we willing to act? Do we have an attitude of gratitude?