Extend a Helping Hand – Pay It Forward

I learned something today.  It was amazing.  I had never thought of this ‘truth’ before.  This new eye-opening and informative statement caused me to wonder if others had somehow missed this fact, too.  Here it is…

“When the average person becomes a Christian, he or she is not necessarily thinking “horizontally” about what just happened–that they have agreed to be adopted into a new family of people.  Instead, they are usually thinking “vertically”—that is, looking upward towards a new-found relationship with the Almighty God and Jesus Christ.”

What is not realized at the outset is the fact that the Kingdom of God is like a composite of family members.  And that God ordained the creation of a new family community right here on earth made up with those who have become his followers–in the horizontal atmosphere.  Basically, the walls that contain the family is called the church; and the place without walls is the heart of the confessed believer.

ISN’T THAT GOOD NEWS!

Jesus’ first group of followers were also a community.  Better known as the 12 disciples or apostles, this group of men were all baptized, ate and prayed together, performed wonders and signs, and ministered to the people. (Acts 2:41-47)

What about you? 

Since your conversion, have you been responsible in introducing someone else to Christ?  I asked myself this question and without much hesitation, could recall several opportunities where the Holy Spirit had given me the unction to approach total strangers.

Once when I was eating alone in a restaurant, I noticed a young lady also eating alone seated not too far from me.  After a while, I introduced myself and invited her to join me.  I learned she had just relocated to my city and was looking for a new beginning.  What an opportunity to inquire if she was also looking for a new place of worship.  The conversation proceeded from there and ultimately, she became a member of my church.  The rest is history.

Last week I celebrated a milestone birthday with a grand party with a host of family and friends.  After reading an article in the AARP monthly magazine, I followed suit on what a reader and contributor to the magazine had done.  I read where she had given a sum of money to each party participant and had asked them to pay it forward.  As a result, she had received feedback from some of her guests with inspiring stories of gratitude.  I decided to do the same thing.

Since I had more than 80 party goers, I only gave each one a dollar and asked them to add to it if they so desired, but to pass it on by paying it forwarded with a blessing that God would be glorified.  For me, that turned out to be the highlight of my birthday bash.

You know, the older I get, the easier it becomes for me to keep the faith, to defuse doubt, to trust God, to entertain strangers, to find time to meditate, and to visit the doctors with reassurance that God’s got it!  So, in all of my getting, I am striving to get an understanding in the things of God that will bless his people in their going out and coming in.  My true desire is to pay it forward!  Amen!

Lord, Lest I forget, Lead me to Calvary….