Pay it Forward?

This is the scenario - a customer at a fast-food drive-thru pays for his own order and also pays for the order of the customer behind him.  Then a chain reaction occurs, and each person in line pays for the next customer's order.

Or, someone receives an unexpected monetary gift and responds, "I'll pay it forward," meaning he'll show a similar kindness to another person.  

This whole concept bothers me.

The "chain reaction" pay-it-forwards - well, they're pointless.  Only the person who initiates the event actually gives and pays for someone else's order.  

Those in line who follow the trend - Everyone who participates just "breaks-even" by buying another person's order and also receiving his own order for free.

Whatever happened to just saying, "Thank-you; that's really generous of you?"  

We're a society that can't accept gifts; we don't want to be in anyone's debt.  So we respond with, "I'll pay it forward."  Or we give the person a gift in return for his generosity.

In the end, an act of generosity becomes a burden for the one receiving the gift.  That person now feels a responsibility to do something in return. 

Is there a gospel lesson here?  Of course...

 
You see, Jesus is the only One who can and truly did "Pay it Forward."  On the cross, in His death and resurrection, He paid it forward for our sins...and backward for the sins of Adam and all those born after him.  



It's a gift.  We can't "pay it forward" to another person; we can't repay Him in any way.  The only thing we can do is receive it!  

That's the gospel message.  Forgiveness, righteousness, salvation, life - they're all a gift, given freely to us by our Lord.

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?...For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.                 Romans 8:35, 38-39

Jesus's gift isn't meant to be a burden, but freedom.  It's done; it's finished.

But sometimes, we have trouble believing.  We might even try to do something to earn favor with God, or prove something to Him, to ourselves, or to others.  We can get caught up in our own performance.

Even then, He loves us.  He doesn't leave us in our pride or our works.  His love comes to us, convicts us of sins, and turns us to the cross again.

And, in our turning and knowing His love, He enables us to start loving others.  While we can't reenact His sacrifice for them, we can give them our love, our forgiveness; we can be generous to them and allow them to be generous to us.   

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.  Romans 12:10

So, instead of "paying it forward" just say, "Thank-you."  And love one another, knowing that Jesus died and rose again for you and loves you.

Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  Luke 2:10-11