Remember Mr. Holland’s Opus

One of my favorite movies of all time is Mr. Holland’s Opus (1995). Glenn Holland (played brilliantly by Richard Dreyfuss) believes his dreams have come to a screeching halt when all he can find is a mediocre job teaching music in a mediocre high school to seemingly mediocre students. Along the way, some of life’s greatest difficulties drag him down and he wonders, after a long career, if his life is just plain “mis-spent.”

For those who’ve seen the movie you know how it ends. His dreams have been realized; only they look very different from what he envisaged. Take a few moments and watch the clip below.

Whenever I encounter others who question whether their efforts are being noticed or their contributions valued, I’ve encouraged them to remember Mr. Holland’s Opus. Of all the great lessons taught in this fine film, one really stands out: Since it is impossible to comprehend the full impact we have on others, we should never underestimate the value of our contribution to their lives. Just as Mr. Holland positively touched scores of people in ways he never imagined, we have likely done the same and our lives really do matter!

For more than 10 years now I have received hundreds of requests from people all over the world to use my materials (most hosted here) for their small group Bible studies, Sunday School classes, youth groups, prison ministries, accountability groups, one-on-one studies, etc. In fact, I received a request like this just a few days ago. While I have never met those behind these requests nor will I ever know the full impact of my labors in publishing these materials, thanks to Mr. Holland’s Opus and a world where God reigns, I know that my life matters! I am convinced that nothing I do is in vain because “by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect” (1 Cor 15:10).