Pay It Forward

Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more (Lk. 12:48).

A few years back, there was a movie called Pay It Forward that was enormously popular. The film was about a boy whose philosophy of life was that the world would be a better place if everyone tried to "pay it forward" by helping a stranger, and by that stranger in turn helping another. What would incite a person to help a complete stranger? To those of us who believe, the answer is simple: God’s grace. Grace is always available to us, no matter how well or how badly our lives seem to be going. The Lord gives us whatever grace we need for the present moment. If we look hard enough, we can see God’s hand at work in every situation, and find something in it for which to be thankful.

I like to think of God’s grace as a construction crew building a house. At first, the building site is chosen and any obstacles or debris are cleared. The basic materials are delivered to the site, and the workers lay the foundation and frame the house. As the construction proceeds, more materials are delivered to the site and “acted upon.” In the same way, God chooses us, and when we first respond to His call to faith, we work on clearing those things from our lives that are displeasing to Him. As we do that, God’s grace builds upon the foundation our nature – the gifts He has given us. But we have to respond, and we have to do it God’s way, not our way. “If the Lord does not build the house, in vain do the builders labor” (Ps. 127:1). He is the Foreman on this job!

But it’s not all about us. Grace flows into us - “From His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace” (Jn. 1:16) - and its effects flow forth from us to impact the world around us. One such outflow is service to others. Service doesn’t mean we have to pick up and leave everything we know to go to some far away place as missionaries, although some people are called to that. It can be something as simple as a smile or the act of holding a door open for someone. It’s amazing how much even a small gesture can do for a person who is having a rough day.
This process of “paying it forward” began when God called us in love to be His own children (cf. 1 Jn. 3:1). Ultimately, we will be judged by how we respond to the grace He freely and abundantly pours out upon each of us. “Then the righteous will answer him and say, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? When did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and cloth you? When did we see you ill or in prison, and visit you?’ And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for Me’” (Mt. 25:37-40).

Prayer Request: For those who are feeling down, lonely and depressed, that they might feel God's touch through gestures of kindness from others and, in turn, do acts of kindness for others.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, Your holy Word teaches us that we are to “act justly, love goodness and walk humbly” with You. We thank you for the abundant grace that is always available to us and at work in us. Open our eyes so that we might see You in our neighbor. Attune us to their needs and help us to respond as You would have us do. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.