Pay It Forward

I've been told that today is Pay It Forward Day. It's been awhile since I've seen the movie. Honestly, I hardly remember it. The premise of the day, inspired by the movie, is to do at least one act of random kindness.The receiving party is then to pass it on by doing a good deed for another stranger, and so on.

What an amazing place this world would be, if we made every day pay-it-forward day. Instead of irritation in the grocery check-out line, as the elderly gentleman searches for 3 cents, there would be kindness. Not only paying for his groceries, but carrying them to his car.

How exciting would it be to "Pay-it-forward" in a big way, to make a big difference in someone's life? In the movie, I believe a guy gives away his expensive Jaguar car. I read about a Phoenix news station that has a monthly contest. It gives $500 to an individual who then has the privilege of giving it to someone else. The catch is he only has 60 minutes to decide who to give it to, and it can't be someone he knows. What a fun, yet rewarding experience this would be!

Guess what? You can do this! You have this opportunity. Every. Single. Day.

Meet Grace. No, not a person, but real, honest-to-goodness Grace. It comes from God. Grace was and is the most generous gift ever given. Nobody deserves it. Nobody could earn it. It is such an enormous gift, it couldn't be bought, except by one person. Jesus. He paid it forward 2000 years ago on the cross.

Twenty-six years ago, God's grace was extended to me, by a new friend. It changed my life radically. I have to confess, though, I have not been diligent about paying-it-forward for others.

If you've received the gift of grace, why not pay-it-forward today? You can pour it out randomly. To people waiting in the doctor's office, a person walking down the street, or standing in front of you at the store. You can give this lavish gift to anyone, at any time.

Like the news station giveaway, you too have a limited amount of time to pay-it-forward. The difference is, you don't know how much time that is.

What about living as if we only have 60 minutes to accomplish this task? Who knows, maybe that is all the time you or I have. Let's get busy.

God paid a debt He did not owe. I owed a debt I could not pay.

Luke 6:38
"Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”