The Crucial Night

The Crucial Night

CAMERA PULLS UP from the Bailey home and travels up through the sky until it is above the falling snow and moving slowly toward a firmament full of stars. As the camera stops we hear the following heavenly voices talking, and as each voice is heard, one of the stars twinkles brightly:

Hello, Joseph, trouble?

Looks like we'll have to send someone down –– a lot of people are asking for help for a man named George Bailey.

George Bailey. Yes, tonight's his crucial night. You're right, we'll have to send someone down immediately. Whose turn is it?

That's why I came to see you, sir. It's that clock-maker's turn again.

Oh –– Clarence. Hasn't got his wings yet, has he? We've passed him up right along.

Because, you know, sir, he's got the I.Q. of a rabbit.

Yes, but he's got the faith of a child –– simple. Joseph, send for Clarence.

A small star flies in from left of screen and stops. It twinkles as Clarence speaks:

You sent for me, sir?

Yes, Clarence. A man down on earth needs our help.

Splendid! Is he sick?

No, worse. He's discouraged. At exactly ten-forty-five PM tonight, Earth time, that man will be thinking seriously of throwing away God's greatest gift.

Oh, dear, dear! His life! Then I've only got an hour to dress.

What are they wearing now?

You will spend that hour getting acquainted with George Bailey.

The following was from my favorite movie ever…”It’s a wonderful life”, with Jimmy Stewart. As a child, I watched with my family each year as George Bailey learned he truly had a wonderful life…but not before he had to learn the lesson from people who cared deeply for him. The movie could not be more real to me tonight as I sit at home with my own family and pray for my larger than life friend as he struggles to find a reason to continue with what could be his own wonderful life. Tonight is his crucial night.

I am asking that you pray for our friend Sam. He is very discouraged and has told a few friends that he no longer sees a need to hang around. Over the last several days, Rich and I have shared with him how important he is to us and how badly we would miss him if he was successful in making his plan work…to no avail.

He thanked us for our kind thoughts and concerns but assured us that he had thought it out for a while and had decided what to do. “It would be better for everyone,” he said. He figured that friends and family would get over him being gone after a while and that life would just go on. “You’re nuts,” we said. Tonight is his crucial night.

As we were leaving the gym from working out, J. Paul asked, “Wick when will you be coming back to Atlanta?” I said, “I’m not sure.” And Sam said, “He will be back in January,” matter of factly. I knew what he meant and did not comment as I walked out the door. He had already given me an idea of his time line. As we got in the car, he asked me if I would speak at his memorial. I told him that I would, but that he would not like what I am going to say. Tonight is his crucial night.

I decided that it was time to leave today. In his own warped thinking, my dear friend had shared some thoughts as Rich and I drank some coffee with him during breakfast. We both told him how much we would miss him and how much his family would want him around. Rich begged him to hang around for the “Three Amigos” to go on one final mission trip together…to Peru…in March. He looked at us both and said, “If we are going on another trip together, it will need to happen within two weeks.” Tonight is Sam’s crucial night.

I had done all that I thought I could and decided to head back to Florence and to put my plan into place to let everyone I could think of know exactly what Sam was planning on doing. The plan would be…not to keep it private… like Sam wanted. Suicide is not a private issue because it destroys many lives and leaves huge holes that never can be filled with anything else.

The phone rang breaking my concentration on Elvis singing, “Ima havin a Blue Christmas without you,” as I answered, Chip said, “Wick have you heard anything?” “No,” I said, “What’s up?” “Sam called David, David went to the office, an ambulance was called, and now we are in the emergency room.” It’s Sam’s crucial night.

Last I texted the group at the hospital, Mallory said that Toni was in the back room with Sam. He is going to finally get the help that he needs…the help he has been silently screaming to his friends that he so desperately needs. Tonight is his crucial night. So pray. Pray like you have never prayed before. Pray for Sam to hear the still soft voice of the Holy Spirit saying to him, “Hang in there Sam. There are many who need you, many who love you and I have so much more for you to do. Sam, tonight is your crucial night.”

We love you and need you...wick