He wants us to pay His love forward so others may enjoy all the rich blessings He bestows. Let’s pay it forward for His sake and honor!
Eternal Perspectives by Sally Bair
Pay it forward
April 28 is designated as Pay it Forward Day. People everywhere already practice the habit of helping others out. Many of them, while in line for a take-out meal, pay for the person next in line. Others help carry groceries or change a tire, or offer a host of other good deeds for people they don’t even know. In each case, their gifts are sacrificial of their time or money. And from what I’ve read, most recipients are unknown to the giver, whose acts of kindness greatly reward them emotionally.
Such selfless acts become like Christmas gifts—unexpected, perhaps undeserved, and surely appreciated. The Golden Rule says it all. “Whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 7:12) To follow this rule is to pay it forward.
Jesus paid His gift of salvation forward. We probably all know the familiar verse, John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Notice that the verse includes the whole world. He died not only for those who lived during His time on earth, He died for those to come. That means you and me.
His selfless act of dying on the cross for our sins is, perhaps for many, unexpected. How can such a thing be? And His sacrificial love is undeserved by all of us. How can we possibly repay such a gift? But God’s Word tells us that we can pay it forward, as Jesus did for us. Countless verses besides the Golden Rule show us how, including those listed below.
Matthew 5:16 tells us to “Let your light so shine before men…” Your goodness to others surely will not only glorify God but will bless you.
Paul, in his second letter to the Corinthian church, wrote: “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Cor. 9:7)
Paul also wrote, “And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32)
Lord, thank You for paying Your gift of love forward so we can benefit from it with eternal life now and forever with You. Thank You for the enjoyment we receive from such an unworthy gift. Fill our hearts with such love for others that we will want to pay it forward to those we meet. May our motive be pure and heartfelt. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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