Until Thursday morning, that it. You see, the idea caught on like wildfire. And the whole morning there were calls pouring in from all over the area to let the station know where people had "paid it forward." Then calls started coming in from listeners who were unexpecting recipients of the efforts. Best of all, calls from people detailing the events that followed after they'd paid it forward. There were stories of Starbucks employees being completely floored that someone would pay for someone else, stories of people who were so touched by the effort that they followed the car that paid for them and asked them why they did it, and stories of how these small, random acts of kindness inspired much larger acts.
All of this really got me thinking about how much power we each have to impact the lives of others on a daily basis. Each word I say, look I give, or e-mail I send has the power to build or tear down the people I work and live with.
Thursday morning (before I heard about what was going on in NWA), I read 1 Peter 4. Verses 4-11 say this:
"Most of all, love each other as if your life depended on it. Love makes up for practically anything. Be quick to give a meal to the hungry, a bed to the homeless---cheerfully. Be generous with the different things God gave you, passing them around so all get in on it: if words, let it be God's words; if help, let it be God's hearty help. That way, God's bright presence will be evident in everything though Jesus, and he'll get all the credit as the One mighty in everything."
I need to be better at living these verses out: giving freely of everything God has given me in order for Him to be known. Thanks to my favorite radio station and fellow listeners for reminding me of that.
1 comment:
that is awesome!!! I am always telling kids @ school to pay it forward. I actually had a girl pay for another girls fine this week..paying it forward. but yours is such a bigger scale and so cool that it has people asking.."why?".
yay for God!!
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