Ever hear the phrase pay it forward? Ever find yourself in a pay it forward line? I have a time or two, and it’s kind of a magical thing.
Dictionary.com defines paying it forward as “an expression for when the recipient of an act of kindness does something kind for someone else rather than simply accepting or repaying the original good deed.” Urban Dictionary points to pay it forward as being a kind of “opposite of payback: when someone does a good deed for you, instead of paying them back, pay it forward by doing a good deed for someone else.”
Here’s what pay it forward looks like for me. I rush around my house getting ready to leave in the morning. I grab a few bucks so I can buy my special-order Dunkin coffee on the way to work. I arrive at my Dunkin of choice with a few minutes to spare, only to gasp in dismay at the extra long drive-thru line ahead of me. I advance excruciatingly slowly through the line, inch by inch, car by slower car, alternately thanking God that I had the foresight to leave a little bit earlier than usual and mentally cussing out the other people in this coffee line of death. Finally I place my order: large hot blueberry latte with skim milk and half the sugar. Perfect. I scrounge around in my change compartment for the exact amount and advance to the pickup window. My hand reaches my few bills and assortment of coins across the window divide….at which point a smiling employee tells me that the car in front of me has already paid for my order. And my response? Surprise at the random kindness of a total stranger. Chagrin at my previous mental cussing. Joy at the knowledge that goodness still exists. Wonder at the thought that I certainly did nothing to deserve my free order. Now at this point I have a choice….pull my sweaty handful of bills and change back into my car and call it good—or pay it forward. True confession here- I am guilty of both of those actions. How about you?
So yeah, I love reading and hearing about pay it forward stories. Here are two of my favorites. In 2018, at a Southington Dunkin Donuts, someone started the chain around 7:00 a.m. According to employees, “that small random act of kindness triggered a “pay-it-forward” streak that ran unbroken for three and a half hours at the franchise,” with approximately 30 people participating. Another one, this time at a Dairy Queen in Minnesota, covered a span of TWO AND A HALF DAYS and involved over 900 people! Can you imagine? This awesome story began on a cold Thursday in December of 2020. One generous customer paid for the order behind him…and then that small, random act of kindness snowballed! By the end of the day on Thursday, 275 cars IN A ROW had participated. What’s even more amazing is that the final car on Thursday night left an $10 extra to start the train again the following day, which was Friday. And then the same thing happened on Friday night! According to the local news station, KIRO 7, “one lady, [about 125 cars into the train] was so excited, she threw us a $20 bill almost in tears,” and said, ‘Are you serious? This is really going on? Can you believe this?’” One customer described the experience like this: “During times like these it kinda restores your faith in humanity a little. The way the world is now you see a lot of anger, tension, and selfish behavior. What we witnessed was pure kindness and it was a breath of fresh air really.” According to Dairy Queen, “By the time the chain was broken, more than 900 people had paid more than $10,000 forward.” Awesome!
I’ve come to realize that Jesus is the ultimate pay it forward example. Because He paid it forward for me. There I was on a chilly Saturday in March, a 16-year-old girl waiting in that line of death, a sinner among sinners. My bill, my debt, so high that I could never pay it. And then there He was. Standing in line for me. Taking my place. Giving His very life for mine. My response? Surprise at the kindness of a beautiful Savior. Chagrin at my previous lifetime of bad behavior. Joy at the knowledge that Good exists. Wonder at the absolute certainty that I had done nothing whatsoever to deserve my freedom. Yet, Jesus came to earth specifically to pay my debt. And He came to pay yours. He started this never-ending pay it forward chain.
So, other than merely being the recipients of all of God’s generosity, what does the Lord require of us? Well, we have a choice to make- you and I both. Kind of like me pulling those sweaty bills and coins back into my car and breaking the pay it forward chain at Dunkin… or paying it forward to the next person in line. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” First, look at how Paul identifies God: “The Father of all mercies and God of all comfort.” I don’t know about you, but those titles resound with me. He is the Father of all mercies and God of all comfort! Do you need mercy today? Look no further! Do you need comfort today? Again, look no further! Because we serve a God who has paid it forward, offering all the mercy and comfort we could ever need! That is a reason for rejoicing! And because God paid it forward….now we get to pay it forward as well. God doesn’t just provide us mercy and comfort so that we can hoard it for ourselves. No, He expects us to take the comfort He has given us and “comfort those who are in any trouble…”. When we go through trouble, God is there for us. When our neighbor or our brother or our friend goes through trouble, we can be there for them….paying it forward….showing the comfort (and love) of Christ that we have so freely been given. So what are you going to choose today?
Lord, thank You for Your word today. Thank You that Your word reveals WHO You are. You are the Father of all mercies and the God of all comfort. Thank You for Your mercy and Your comfort in my life. I would be lost without them. Thank You that Your word shows me how to be more like You. I pray, Lord, that You would cause me to see the needs of those You put before me and to see the opportunities to be Your hands and feet, to comfort others as You have comforted me. I love You Lord. Go before me today. Make Your way straight before me. Amen…..